M88

Noirlab_noao-m88quinn_1024

noirlab_noao-m88quinn February 20th, 2014

Credit: KPNO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/Jim Quinn/Adam Block

M88 displays a set of tight spiral arms and dust lanes in each. A recent supernova (1991) in M88 helped better determine its distance from us. Stars exploding in other galaxies can be used as a "standard candle" since astronomers know their intrinsic brightness (how bright it would appear at a known distance). Then, by measuring the brightness of the supernova, they can estimate its distance by using the properties of light (things appear dimmer the further away they are). M88 is calculated to be 60 million light years away by this method. This image was taken as part of Advanced Observing Program (AOP) program at Kitt Peak Visitor Center during 2014.

Provider: NOIRLab

Image Source: https://noirlab.edu/public/images/noao-m88quinn/

Curator: NSF's NOIRLab, Tucson, AZ, USA

Image Use Policy: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
M88
Noirlab_noao-m88quinn_128
 

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 12h 32m 1.4s
DEC = 14° 23’ 25.6”
Orientation
North is 179.2° CW
Field of View
12.4 x 8.3 arcminutes
Constellation
Coma Berenices

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Luminosity KPNO-VC-0.5m (Other CCD) Optical (Broad Band) 555.0 nm
Blue KPNO-VC-0.5m (Other CCD) Optical (B) 438.0 nm
Green KPNO-VC-0.5m (Other CCD) Optical (G) 475.0 nm
Red KPNO-VC-0.5m (Other CCD) Optical (R) 625.0 nm
Spectrum_base
Luminosity
Blue
Green
Red
Noirlab_noao-m88quinn_1280
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ID
noao-m88quinn
Subject Category
Subject Name
M88
Credits
KPNO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/Jim Quinn/Adam Block
Release Date
2014-02-20T13:48:39
Lightyears
Redshift
Reference Url
https://noirlab.edu/public/images/noao-m88quinn/
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Distance Notes
Facility
Visitor Center 0.5-meter Telescope, Visitor Center 0.5-meter Telescope, Visitor Center 0.5-meter Telescope, Visitor Center 0.5-meter Telescope
Instrument
Other CCD, Other CCD, Other CCD, Other CCD
Color Assignment
Luminosity, Blue, Green, Red
Band
Optical, Optical, Optical, Optical
Bandpass
Broad Band, B, G, R
Central Wavelength
555, 438, 475, 625
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
None, None, None, None
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
188.005703301, 14.3904389352
Reference Dimension
2184.0, 1472.0
Reference Pixel
1158.70930099, 1185.87954712
Scale
-9.47716144651e-05, 9.42524587807e-05
Rotation
-179.1658291435
Coordinate System Projection:
TAN
Quality
Full
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
NSF's NOIRLab
URL
https://noirlab.edu
Name
Email
Telephone
Address
950 North Cherry Ave.
City
Tucson
State/Province
AZ
Postal Code
85719
Country
USA
Rights
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Publisher
NSF's NOIRLab
Publisher ID
noirlab
Resource ID
noao-m88quinn
Metadata Date
2021-09-14T08:39:22-05:00
Metadata Version
1.1
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

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There is no distance meta data in this image.

 

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