A2261-BCG
Sign in to saveAlso known as Abell 2261 Brightest Cluster Galaxy
A2261-BCG (short for Abell 2261 Brightest Cluster Galaxy) is a supergiant elliptical galaxy in the galaxy cluster Abell 2261. One of the largest galaxies known, A2261-BCG is estimated to have an isophotal diameter of about , roughly 6 times larger than the Milky Way. It is the brightest and most massive galaxy in the cluster, and has one of the largest galactic cores ever observed, spanning over 10,000 light-years.
~2 min read
Encyclopedic overview
3 sectionsContents
- Possible supermassive black hole
- Notes
- References
A2261-BCG (short for Abell 2261 Brightest Cluster Galaxy) is a supergiant elliptical galaxy in the galaxy cluster Abell 2261. One of the largest galaxies known, A2261-BCG is estimated to have an isophotal diameter of about , roughly 6 times larger than the Milky Way. It is the brightest and most massive galaxy in the cluster, and has one of the largest galactic cores ever observed, spanning over 10,000 light-years.
The cD elliptical galaxy, located at from Earth, is also well known as a radio source. Its core is highly populated by a dense number of old stars, but is mysteriously diffuse, giving it a large core.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “A2261-BCG” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.