Elliptical galaxy M87 is a type of galaxy that looks much different than our own Milky Way Galaxy . Even for an elliptical galaxy , though, M87 is peculiar. M87 is much bigger than an average galaxy, appears near the center of a whole cluster of galaxies known as the Virgo Cluster , and shows an unusually high number of globular clusters. These globular clusters are visible as faint spots surrounding the bright center of M87 . In general, elliptical galaxies contain similar numbers of stars as spiral galaxies , but are ellipsoidal in shape (spirals are mostly flat), have no spiral structure, and little gas and dust . The above image of M87 was taken recently by the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope on top of the dormant volcano Mauna Kea in Hawaii , USA .
Media Credits & Attribution
Credit & Copyright: Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope , [J.-C. Cuillandre](mailto:jcc at cfht.hawaii.edu) ( CFHT ), Coelum