Messier 59 (M59)

Flattened elliptical of the Virgo Cluster, noticed by Messier the same night as M58.

Core Principles & Analysis

• Its shape appears nearly edge-on, an unusual orientation for an elliptical of its kind.
• A possible supernova was recorded in it as early as 1939.
• It holds a central black hole estimated in the hundreds of millions of solar masses.

Specifications & Metrics

• GALAXY TYPE: Elliptical (E5)
• DISTANCE: ~50 million light-years