The Virgo II Groups are the long southern extension to the Virgo cluster. Beginning with the M61 group and the NGC 4753 group which are the two groups which form the southern boundary of the Virgo cluster, this band of galaxies stretches southwards past the large NGC 4697 and NGC 4699 groups and terminating 30 million light years from the Virgo cluster with a group of galaxies around the very massive NGC 5084 galaxy.
Below - three galaxies in the Virgo II Groups. NGC 4030 (left) is the brightest galaxy in a small group located to the lower-right of the Virgo cluster. NGC 4123 (centre) is a barred spiral galaxy nearby in the NGC 4179 group. M61 (right) is a famous spiral galaxy and the brightest member of a sub-group of galaxies on the southern edge of the Virgo cluster.
NGC 4030 | NGC 4123 | M61 |
Shown below is a picture of M104. This is a very famous galaxy called the Sombrero Galaxy. It is a spiral galaxy with a very large central bulge. Although this galaxy can be found among the Virgo II groups, it is actually a foreground galaxy 30 million light years from us - 20 million light years in front of the Virgo II galaxies.
This is a list of the main Virgo II Groups. It can be difficult to determine which galaxies belong to which group especially around the southern edge of the Virgo cluster where there is a confusion of galaxies at different distances.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Name Equatorial Blue Type Size Size RV Coordinates Mag (') kly km/s RA Dec NGC 4030 Group Distance = 60 million ly UGC 6970 11 58.8 -01 28 14.7 Sm 1.2 20 1838 NGC 4030 12 00.4 -01 06 11.7 Sbc 3.9 70 1814 UGC 7000 12 01.2 -01 18 14.3 Irr 1.0 20 1847 NGC 4179 Group Distance = 55 million ly UGC 7035 12 03.7 +02 38 14.9 Sa 1.3 20 1577 NGC 4116 12 07.6 +02 41 12.6 SBcd 3.5 55 1659 NGC 4123 12 08.2 +02 53 12.3 SBc 4.1 65 1675 NGC 4179 12 12.9 +01 18 11.8 S0 4.2 65 1595 M61 Group Distance = 55 million ly NGC 4255 12 18.9 +04 47 13.6 S0 1.3 20 2173 UGC 7387 12 20.3 +04 12 15.1 Scd 1.9 30 2075 M61/NGC 4303 12 21.9 +04 28 10.2 SBbc 6.2 100 1911 NGC 4324 12 23.1 +05 15 12.5 S0 2.8 45 2007 UGC 7522 12 26.0 +03 26 14.5 Sc 2.8 45 1765 NGC 4420 12 27.0 +02 30 12.9 SBc 2.0 30 2029 PGC 40951 12 28.1 +02 55 15.2 Irr 1.0 15 1826 UGC 7612 12 29.0 +02 43 14.8 SBm 2.0 30 1913 NGC 4496A 12 31.7 +03 56 12.1 SBd 3.8 60 2067 NGC 4517A 12 32.5 +00 23 13.1 SBd 3.8 60 1869 IC 3474 12 32.6 +02 40 14.8 Scd 2.2 35 2070 NGC 4527 12 34.1 +02 39 11.5 SBbc 5.9 95 2068 NGC 4533 12 34.4 +02 20 14.6 Scd 2.0 35 2095 NGC 4536 12 34.4 +02 11 11.1 SBbc 7.2 115 2140 UGC 7780 12 36.7 +03 06 15.5 SBd 1.7 25 1777 NGC 4581 12 38.1 +01 29 13.4 E 1.7 30 2139 NGC 4599 12 40.5 +01 12 13.7 Sa 1.7 30 2173 NGC 4632 12 42.5 -00 05 12.6 Sc 2.8 45 2051 NGC 4753 Group Distance = 55 million ly UGC 7824 12 39.8 +01 40 15.0 Sm 1.6 25 1561 NGC 4636 12 42.8 +02 41 10.4 E 6.5 105 1393 NGC 4643 12 43.3 +01 59 11.6 S0 3.2 50 1658 UGC 7911 12 44.5 +00 28 13.8 SBm 2.4 40 1515 NGC 4688 12 47.8 +04 20 13.5 SBc 3.7 60 1313 NGC 4691 12 48.2 -03 20 12.0 Sa 3.0 50 1442 UGC 7982 12 49.8 +02 51 14.0 Sbc 3.4 55 1484 NGC 4753 12 52.4 -01 12 11.1 S0 5.5 90 1724 NGC 4771 12 53.4 +01 16 12.9 Sc 3.6 60 1456 NGC 4772 12 53.5 +02 10 12.1 Sa 3.3 55 1366 UGC 8041 12 55.2 +00 07 13.5 SBcd 3.2 50 1666 NGC 4808 12 55.8 +04 18 12.3 Sc 2.4 40 1085 NGC 4845 12 58.0 +01 35 12.1 Sab 5.0 80 1421 NGC 4900 13 00.7 +02 30 12.0 SBc 2.2 35 1288 NGC 4904 13 01.0 -00 02 13.0 SBc 2.1 35 1495 NGC 4697 Group Distance = 55 million ly MCG-1-33-1 12 44.1 -05 41 13.1 Sd 3.0 50 1765 MCG-1-33-3 12 45.7 -06 04 13.6 SBm 3.1 50 1809 NGC 4697 12 48.6 -05 48 10.4 E 5.9 95 1569 MCG-1-33-11 12 48.7 -05 15 ? Irr 1.8 30 1673 NGC 4731 12 51.0 -06 23 12.1 SBc 6.3 100 1825 MCG-1-33-33 12 52.6 -06 17 ? Irr 2.1 35 1861 NGC 4775 12 53.8 -06 37 12.2 Scd 2.2 35 1896 IC 3908 12 56.7 -07 34 13.5 Scd 2.2 35 1627 UGCA 310 12 57.2 -04 10 14.5 Irr 1.6 25 1865 MCG-1-33-59 12 57.3 -05 21 13.8 Sd 1.7 25 1586 MCG-1-33-61 12 58.8 -06 07 15.0 Sd 1.7 25 1931 NGC 4941 13 04.2 -05 33 12.0 SBab 3.5 55 1433 NGC 4948 13 04.9 -07 57 13.8 SBd 2.1 35 1649 NGC 4948A 13 05.1 -08 10 14.1 SBd 1.4 25 1874 NGC 4951 13 05.1 -06 30 12.6 SBc 3.2 50 1500 MCG-1-33-82 13 05.2 -07 53 16.3 Irr 1.1 20 1444 NGC 4958 13 05.8 -08 01 11.7 S0 4.3 70 1438 NGC 4699 Group Distance = 55 million ly NGC 4699 12 49.0 -08 40 10.6 SBb 3.9 60 1759 NGC 4700 12 49.1 -11 25 12.4 SBc 2.9 45 1737 MCG-2-33-15 12 49.4 -10 07 13.2 SBm 3.5 55 1644 NGC 4722 12 51.5 -13 20 13.6 Sa 1.9 30 1640 NGC 4742 12 51.8 -10 27 12.4 E 2.2 35 1607 MCG-2-33-47 12 54.0 -12 07 14.9 Irr 2.0 30 1151 NGC 4781 12 54.4 -10 32 11.7 SBcd 3.3 55 1590 NGC 4790 12 54.9 -10 15 13.3 SBc 1.5 25 1685 NGC 4802 12 55.8 -12 03 12.3 S0 2.5 40 1347 NGC 4818 12 56.8 -08 31 12.1 SBab 3.5 55 1393 MCG-1-33-60 12 57.8 -09 38 13.8 Scd 3.2 50 1813 MCG-2-33-85 13 00.3 -12 21 14.4 Irr 1.8 30 1905 NGC 4856 Group Distance = 55 million ly NGC 4856 12 59.4 -15 03 11.5 S0 4.2 65 1668 MCG-2-33-82 13 00.1 -15 22 14.4 Irr 1.3 20 1913 MCG-2-33-88 13 00.7 -15 43 ? Irr 1.7 30 1706 MCG-3-33-32 13 06.3 -15 31 16.3 Irr 1.6 25 1778 NGC 4984 13 09.0 -15 31 12.2 S0 3.1 50 1522 NGC 4995 Group Distance = 70 million ly NGC 4942 13 04.3 -07 39 13.6 SBcd 1.7 35 2073 NGC 4981 13 08.8 -06 47 12.3 SBbc 2.7 55 2000 NGC 4995 13 09.7 -07 50 12.0 SBb 2.5 50 2086 IC 4212 13 12.0 -06 60 16.4 SBc 1.9 40 1801 NGC 5084 Group Distance = 80 million ly NGC 5084 13 20.3 -21 50 11.6 S0 10.7 250 2025 NGC 5087 13 20.4 -20 37 12.5 E 2.6 60 2119 ESO 576-50 13 24.7 -19 42 13.3 SBc 3.1 70 2279 NGC 5134 13 25.3 -21 08 12.5 SBb 3.0 70 2053 Other major Virgo II galaxies: NGC 4457 12 29.0 +03 34 11.8 Sa 2.8 45 1218 NGC 4487 12 31.1 -08 03 12.2 SBc 3.7 60 1379 NGC 4504 12 32.3 -07 34 12.5 SBc 3.9 60 1338 NGC 4517 12 32.8 +00 07 11.1 Sc 10.2 165 1465 NGC 4546 12 35.5 -03 48 11.6 E 3.2 50 1389 NGC 4586 12 38.5 +04 19 12.6 Sa 3.9 60 1133 NGC 4592 12 39.3 -00 32 12.9 Sd 5.8 90 1409 M104/NGC4594 12 40.0 -11 37 9.1 Sa 8.3 75 1426 NGC 4597 12 40.2 -05 48 13.0 SBm 3.6 60 1380 NGC 4665 12 45.1 +03 03 11.5 S0 4.3 70 1098 NGC 4666 12 45.1 -00 28 11.8 SBc 4.4 70 1850 NGC 4684 12 47.3 -02 44 12.3 S0 2.8 45 1904 NGC 4701 12 49.2 +03 23 12.9 Sc 2.6 40 1050 MCG-3-33-30 13 03.3 -17 25 13.5 Irr 5.6 90 1062 NGC 5054 13 17.0 -16 38 11.9 Sbc 4.8 75 2049 NGC 5170 13 29.8 -17 58 12.1 Sc 8.1 130 1800 NGC 5247 13 38.1 -17 53 11.2 SBbc 5.2 85 1647 |
Column 1: The usual name of the galaxy. Column 2: The Right Ascension for epoch 2000. Column 3: The Declination for epoch 2000. Column 4: The blue apparent magnitude of the galaxy. Column 5: The galaxy type: E=Elliptical, S0=Lenticular, Sa,Sb,Sc,Sd=Spiral, SBa,SBb,SBc,SBd=Barred Spiral, Sm,SBm,Irr=Irregular. Column 6: The angular diameter of the galaxy (arcminutes). Column 7: The diameter of the galaxy (thousands of light years). Column 8: The recessional velocity (km/s) of the galaxy relative to the cosmic microwave background. References: Giuricin G, Marinoni C, Ceriani L, Pisani A, (2000), Nearby optical galaxies: selection of the sample and identification of groups. Astrophys J, 543, 178. Garcia A, (1993), General study of group membership. II. Determination of nearby groups. Astron Astrophys Supp, 100, 47. Fouqué P, Gourgoulhon E, Chamaraux P, Paturel G, (1992), Groups of Galaxies within 80 Mpc, Astron and Astrophys Supp, 93, 211. Tully R, (1982), The Local Supercluster, Astrophys J, 257, 389. The HyperLeda Database, (2003).
Below - three galaxies in the Virgo II groups. NGC 4536 (left) is a bright spiral galaxy in the M61 group. NGC 4697 (centre) is the large bright elliptical galaxy at the centre of the NGC 4697 group. Measurements using surface brightness fluctuations, however, suggest that it may be a foreground galaxy sitting in front of the group. NGC 4699 (right) is the brightest galaxy in the NGC 4699 group.
NGC 4536 | NGC 4697 | NGC 4699 |
Shown below is a picture of NGC 5084. This is a huge lenticular galaxy with a diameter of at least 250 million light years (and possibly closer to 300 million light years). NGC 5084 is one of the most massive galaxies in the entire Virgo supercluster, and it is at least ten times more massive than our own galaxy.
Below - three more galaxies in the Virgo II groups. NGC 4731 (left) is a galaxy in the NGC 4697 group - it is an example of a barred spiral galaxy with very short and very open spiral arms. NGC 4753 (centre) is a bright lenticular galaxy and the brightest galaxy in the NGC 4753 group which forms part of the southern edge of the Virgo cluster. Faint lanes of dust can be seen bisecting this galaxy. NGC 4845 (right) is a spiral galaxy which is also in the NGC 4753 group.
NGC 4731 | NGC 4753 | NGC 4845 |
Properties of the Virgo II groups | ||
---|---|---|
Equatorial Coordinates | RA=12h00m to 13h30m | Dec=+5° to -25° |
Galactic Coordinates | l=275° to 315° | b=+40° to +65° |
Supergalactic Coordinates | L=110° to 140° | B=0° to -10° |
Distance to the groups | 55 to 80 million light years | |
Number of large galaxies | 100 | |
Alternative name for the groups | Virgo II Cloud |