HVGC-1 [1]
Observation data (J2000.0[1] epoch)
ConstellationVirgo
Right ascension12h 30m 54.70s [1]
Declination+12° 40′ 58.61″ [1]
Distance54 Mly (16.5 Mpc [1])
Physical characteristics
Metallicity = −0.9±0.3 [1] dex
Notable featuresFirst discovered hypervelocity globular cluster
Other designationsHVGC-1,[1] H70848,[1] M87 H70848[1]

HVGC-1 is the first discovered hypervelocity globular cluster.[2] Discovered in 2014, it was found escaping the supergiant elliptical galaxy Messier 87,[3] in the Virgo Cluster.[1] It is one of thousands of globular clusters found in M87.[4] It is the first hypervelocity star cluster so far discovered.[5] The globular is located at decimal degrees (RA, DEC) (187.72791°, +12.68295°).[1]

Properties

The object was observed to have an outlier velocity, ending with a determined radial velocity of −1026±13 km/s. In relation to M87, its velocity was determined to be 2100–2300 km/s. The cluster's velocity is so high that it will escape the Virgo Cluster as well.[1]

The cluster's velocity is thought to originate by being ejected by the supermassive black hole at the center of M87, when the black hole stripped the outer layers of HVGC-1 off, it also ejected the remaining core with greater than escape velocity.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Nelson Caldwell (CfA), Jay Strader (Michigan St), Aaron J. Romanowsky (San Jose St/Santa Cruz), Jean P. Brodie (Santa Cruz), Ben Moore (Zurich), Jurg Diemand (Zurich), Davide Martizzi (Berkeley) (25 February 2014). "A Globular Cluster Toward M87 with a Radial Velocity < -1000 km/s: The First Hypervelocity Cluster". The Astrophysical Journal. 787 (1). arXiv:1402.6319. Bibcode:2014ApJ...787L..11C. doi:10.1088/2041-8205/787/1/L11. S2CID 116929202.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. 1 2 "Entire Star Cluster Thrown Out of its Galaxy". CfA - Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. 30 April 2014.
  3. ↑ Klaus Schmidt (30 April 2014). "Entire Star Cluster Thrown Out of its Galaxy". Space Fellowship.
  4. ↑ "Star cluster thrown out of galaxy at speed of more than 2 million mph". Fox News. 30 April 2014.
  5. ↑ Shannon Hill (30 April 2014). "'Runaway' Star Cluster Breaks Free from Distant Galaxy". Universe Today.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.