This Hubble image of the central 5.4 arc seconds of M105 (NGC 3379) reveals striking detail of a bright pointlike nucleus and and interesting dark bandlike structure. Spectroscopic HST studies have shown that the stars near M105's center are in rapid motion around this center. Their motion is so rapid that it indicates a central compact mass (massive dark object) of 50 million solar masses.
From the STScI-PR97-01 (and STScI-PRC97-01)
High Resolution HST image of M105's core
Last Modification: 28 Jun 1998, 22:00 MET