Messier 85 (M85)

Odd lenticular of the Virgo outskirts, possibly the product of an ancient merger.

Core Principles & Analysis

• It hosts NGC 4394, a barred spiral appearing beside it in the same field.
• Its largest globular clusters may be the stripped nuclei of absorbed dwarf galaxies.
• A slow, unusual stellar outburst, M85-OT2006-1, was its claim to fame in 2006.

Specifications & Metrics

• GALAXY TYPE: Lenticular (S0)
• DISTANCE: ~60 million light-years