M49

M49 is a giant elliptical galaxy in Virgo, about 56 million light-years from Earth. It is the brightest member of the Virgo Cluster and one of the brightest galaxies in the sky. M49 contains an estimated 200 billion stars and spans about 160,000 light-years across. It harbors a supermassive black hole of about 565 million solar masses.

Located in the southern part of the Virgo Cluster, about 4 degrees south of the main chain of Virgo galaxies. In a telescope it appears as a bright, featureless oval glow with a strongly concentrated center. Similar in appearance to many other Virgo ellipticals, which can make identification tricky without a good chart. An 8-inch telescope shows the bright core surrounded by a smooth halo. Best observed from March through June.

Discovered by Charles Messier on February 19, 1771 — it was the first Virgo Cluster galaxy discovered. Its elliptical nature was not understood until the 20th century; Messier described it simply as a 'nebula without stars.'