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arXiv:astro-ph/0008470 (astro-ph)
[Submitted on 30 Aug 2000]

Title:The Principal Axis of the Virgo Cluster

Authors:Michael J. West (1), John P. Blakeslee (2) ((1)University of Hawaii at Hilo, (2)University of Durham)
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Abstract: Using accurate distances to individual Virgo cluster galaxies obtained by the method of Surface Brightness Fluctuations, we show that Virgo's brightest ellipticals have a remarkably collinear arrangement in three dimensions. This axis, which is inclined by 10 to 15 degrees from the line of sight, can be traced to even larger scales where it appears to join a filamentary bridge of galaxies connecting Virgo to the rich cluster Abell 1367. The orientations of individual Virgo ellipticals also show some tendency to be aligned with the cluster axis, as does the jet of the supergiant elliptical M87. These results suggest that the formation of the Virgo cluster, and its brightest member galaxies, have been driven by infall of material along the Virgo-A1367 filament.
Comments: 8 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ Letters
Subjects: Astrophysics (astro-ph)
Cite as: arXiv:astro-ph/0008470
  (or arXiv:astro-ph/0008470v1 for this version)
  https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.astro-ph/0008470
Related DOI: https://doi.org/10.1086/318177

Submission history

From: Michael J. West [view email]
[v1] Wed, 30 Aug 2000 00:23:51 UTC (56 KB)
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