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M87 is one of the most massive galaxies know and features a luminous jet emerging from the center, clearly visible in the image. The jet originates most probably from a giant black hole in the galaxy's center. A massive central object of about 2-3 billion solar masses have been found, concentrated within a radius of 60 light years. This object is surrounded by a rapidly rotating gaseous accretion disk. The jet consists of ejected material from the black hole, and its light is strongly polarized in a way which is typical for synchrotron radiation. The jet is also in violent turbulence, and shows apparent superluminal motion of the gas - the latter is an illusion caused by the fact that the jet is pointing towards us.
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