M49

M49 — galaxy, explore its interactive 3D model in Cosmoscope.

Explore M49 in an interactive 3D view of space. See its catalogue position, distance and astronomical facts.

The luminous giant of southern Virgo — a smooth elliptical ball of ancient stars, the first galaxy in which a globular-cluster system was ever detected beyond our own.

Type

Giant elliptical (E2)

Distance

54 million light-years

Note

The brightest galaxy in the Virgo Cluster

Explore M49 in 3D

M49 is placed in three-dimensional space using catalogue coordinates and an adopted astronomical distance. Rotate and zoom to explore the model. Stellar surfaces, gas structure and dust depths may be reconstructed or illustrative, as described in its facts; this is not live imagery from a telescope.