Messier 59
Encyclopedia
Messier 59 is an elliptical galaxy
in the constellation Virgo
.
were both discovered by Johann Gottfried Koehler
in April 1779 during observations of a comet
in the same part of the sky. Charles Messier
listed both in the Messier Catalogue about three days after Koehler's discovery.
Elliptical galaxy
An elliptical galaxy is a galaxy having an approximately ellipsoidal shape and a smooth, nearly featureless brightness profile. They range in shape from nearly spherical to highly flat and in size from hundreds of millions to over one trillion stars...
in the constellation Virgo
Virgo (constellation)
Virgo is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for virgin, and its symbol is . Lying between Leo to the west and Libra to the east, it is the second largest constellation in the sky...
.
History
Messier 59 and the nearby elliptical galaxy Messier 60Messier 60
Messier 60 is an elliptical galaxy approximately 55 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo.-History:...
were both discovered by Johann Gottfried Koehler
Johann Gottfried Koehler
Johann Gottfried Koehler was a German astronomer who discovered a number of nebulae, star clusters, and galaxies....
in April 1779 during observations of a comet
Comet
A comet is an icy small Solar System body that, when close enough to the Sun, displays a visible coma and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena are both due to the effects of solar radiation and the solar wind upon the nucleus of the comet...
in the same part of the sky. Charles Messier
Charles Messier
Charles Messier was a French astronomer most notable for publishing an astronomical catalogue consisting of deep sky objects such as nebulae and star clusters that came to be known as the 110 "Messier objects"...
listed both in the Messier Catalogue about three days after Koehler's discovery.