M87's Jet (Jan. 11, 2014)

The huge galaxy M87 in Virgo, perhaps the largest galaxy in the Virgo supercluster of galaxies, sports a black hole at its center weighing three and a half billion solar masses.  The black hole spews a jet of material out 5,000 light years visibly, and fifty times further in other wavelengths.  I am very surprised to see this jet so easily with a camera and a telescope of 620mm focal length.  The galaxy, after all, is 55 million light years away.  The jet is additional evidence of the black hole.  We know of nothing else that could create this jet.  Measurements of the jet's speed indicate it is moving outward from the center of M87 at a significant fraction of the speed of light.  Amazing physics from the back yard!

Full resolution image here.

Telescope: Astro-Tech AT111EDT and William Optics AFR-IV (eff. at f/5.6)
Camera and Exposure: SXVF-H9 (11x420" Lum), Alnitak Flat-man flats
Filter: Astronomik CLS
Guiding: SX Lodestar and SX OAG
Mount: Takahashi NJP
Software: Nebulosity, Maxim DL, Photoshop CS3
Location: The Woodlands, TX