Charles Messier discovered Messier 58, along with theelliptical galaxiesMessier 59 andMessier 60, on April 15, 1779.[14] M58 was reported on the chart of theComet of 1779 as it was almost on the same parallel as the starEpsilon Virginis.[11][19] Messier described M58 as a very faintnebula in Virgo which would disappear in the slightest amount of light he used to illuminate themicrometer wires.[11][20] This description was later contradicted byJohn Herschel's observations in 1833 where he described it as a very bright galaxy, especially towards the middle. Herschel's observations were also similar to the descriptions of bothJohn Dreyer andWilliam Henry Smyth who said that M58 was a bright galaxy, mottled, irregularly round and very much brighter toward the middle.[11]
Messier 58 has a low-luminosityactive galactic nucleus, where astarburst may be present[23] as well as asupermassive black hole with a mass of around 70 millionsolar masses.[24] It is also one of the very few galaxies known to possess a UCNR (ultra-compact nuclear ring), a series ofstar-forming regions located in a very small ring around the center of the galaxy.[25] This led to its being dubbed the "ring bearer galaxy" by thepopular astronomy YouTube program "Deep Sky videos".[18]
SN 1989M (Type Ia, mag. 12.2) was discovered by Givi N. Kimeridze on 28 June 1989.[28][29][14] It was found 33 arcseconds north and 44 arcseconds west of M58's nucleus.[14]
^Sinnott, R. W., ed. (1988).The Complete New General Catalogue and Index Catalogue of Nebulae and Star Clusters by J. L. E. Dreyer. Sky Publishing Corporation and Cambridge University Press.ISBN978-0-933346-51-2.
^Comerón, S.; Knapen, J. H.; Beckman, J. E. (2008). "Discovery of Four New Ultra-compact Nuclear Rings in Three Spiral Galaxies".Pathways Through an Eclectic Universe. ASP Conference Series. Vol. 390. p. 172.Bibcode:2008ASPC..390..172C.
^Kosai, H.; Ikeya, K.; Evans, R. O.; Bryan, J.; Wheeler, J. C.; Cochran, A.; Barker, E.; Schlegel, E. M.; Peters, J. (1988)."Supernova 1988A in M58".International Astronomical Union Circular (4533): 1.Bibcode:1988IAUC.4533....1K.
^"SN 1988A".Transient Name Server.IAU. Retrieved6 December 2024.
^Kharadze, E. K.; Pskovsky, Yu. P.; Kimeridze, G. N.; Turatto, M.; Cappellaro, E.; La Franca, F.; Filippenko, A. V.; Dey, A. (1989)."Supernova 1989M in NGC 4579".International Astronomical Union Circular (4802): 1.Bibcode:1989IAUC.4802....1K.
^"SN 1989M".Transient Name Server.IAU. Retrieved6 December 2024.
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