M84, NGC 4374

M84 is an elliptical galaxy of type E1 and a member of the large Virgo Cluster of galaxies. There are also some suggestions that it is actually a face-on lenticular galaxy. Lenticulars, type S0, are mostly smooth and featureless, like elliptical galaxies, but have a significant amount of dust and often some disk-like component, similar to the disk of a spiral galaxy without the arms. M84 contains a small central active region, with two oppositely directed jets visible at radio wavelengths. This image was taken at the KPNO 0.9-meter telescope in December 1996. The Virgo cluster also includes Messier galaxies M49, M58, M59, M60, M61, M85, M86, M87, M88, M89, M90, M91, M98, M99, and M100.