🌟 Galaxy with the First Imaged Black Hole
M87 rocketed to fame in 2019 when astronomers unveiled the first-ever direct image of a black hole’s event horizon—right at the core of this galaxy. Even though the black hole itself is not visible through amateur telescopes, just knowing you’re observing the host of such a landmark object adds immense gravitas. Looking at M87 is like gazing at a modern icon of astrophysics.

🌟 A True Giant Among Galaxies
This is no ordinary elliptical. M87 is one of the largest and most massive galaxies in the nearby universe, containing trillions of stars and upwards of 10,000 globular clusters. That’s more than 10 times what our Milky Way hosts. While you won’t resolve individual stars or clusters visually, the galaxy’s sheer luminosity and broad presence make it an awe-inspiring sight through any scope.

🌟 Home to a Relativistic Jet
High-powered scopes or long-exposure images can reveal a faint optical jet—a stream of material being launched from the vicinity of the central black hole at nearly the speed of light. This phenomenon is rare to observe in visible light and makes M87 one of the few galaxies where such a jet is even theoretically within amateur reach. That jet, stretching thousands of light-years, is a physical manifestation of extreme physics.

🌟 Centerpiece of the Virgo Galaxy Cluster
M87 isn’t an isolated object—it’s the gravitational anchor of the Virgo Cluster, which contains dozens of galaxies within a small area of sky. Once you find M87, you’re standing at the threshold of a deep-sky playground. From there, it’s a short star-hop to Markarian’s Chain, and a buffet of elliptical and spiral galaxies—ideal for galaxy-hopping nights under dark skies.

🌟 Excellent Test of Visual Sensitivity
Though bright for a galaxy, M87’s lack of sharp features makes it an interesting challenge for visual observers. It teaches your eyes to detect gradual transitions, subtle core concentrations, and the appearance of ellipticals versus spirals. It’s a rewarding object for those looking to refine their galaxy-observing skills and deepen their familiarity with extragalactic forms.

🌟 Observing an Active Galaxy
M87 is not just large—it’s active. The black hole at its heart is among the most massive ever measured, and the galaxy emits strongly across the electromagnetic spectrum. Observing M87 connects you with phenomena like active galactic nuclei, relativistic jets, and gravitational dynamics on a scale hard to fathom. Every photon that reaches your eye is a messenger from a realm of immense cosmic power.

Find the bright star Spica (+1.05). To find it, hop from the end star of the Big Dipper, to bright Arcturus (+0.15) to Spica.

Find Vindemiatrix (+2.83) in Virgo and Denebola (+2.13) in Leo.

Imagine a line stretching from Vindemiatrix to Denebola. Now imagine the halfway point. Here's the challenging part: using a telescope finder, try to point to this position. If this goes well, step 4 will be easy. Otherwise, redo this step.

Using a telescope with a low-power eyepiece, scan the area to find relatively bright M84 (+9.01) and M86 (+8.79). Once found, explore the area for the Chain of Galaxies. Once you are familiar with this part of the sky, hop a short distance (1° 15') from M84 to M87.

Messier 87 should appear as a softly glowing, round patch of light with a dense, starlike core—distinct from the pinpoint stars nearby. If you see a fuzzy glow not centered on a star, you’ve likely found it. Once you’ve located M87, stay at low power and use this position as a launching point to explore other members of the Virgo Cluster.

✅ Wait for a Moonless, Dark Sky
M87’s soft, elliptical glow is easily washed out by moonlight or skyglow. Plan your session around the new moon and head to the darkest skies possible—Bortle Class 1–3 if you can. In suburban settings, it may be nearly invisible without optical aid.

✅ Use Moderate to Large Aperture Scopes
While visible in smaller telescopes, M87 really comes to life in 8-inch or larger apertures. A bigger scope helps reveal its extended halo and increases your chance of catching its central concentration or the faint jet under excellent seeing.

✅ Start with a Low Power Eyepiece
Begin your search using low magnification (40x–80x). M87 has a broad, diffuse glow with a bright core, making it easier to spot at wider fields before zooming in with higher power to study its structure.

✅ Be Patient and Use Averted Vision
This galaxy lacks spiral detail, so give your eyes time to adapt. Use averted vision to detect its full size and halo. Subtle features like its brighter core and elongation often emerge gradually with prolonged viewing.

✅ Look for Nearby Galaxies
M87 lies in the heart of the Virgo Cluster. Once you’ve locked onto it, scan the area for faint companions like the galaxies of Markarian’s Chain nearby. It’s an ideal springboard for galaxy-hopping.

❌ Naked Eye
To the naked eye, Messier 87 is completely invisible. Even under the darkest skies, this elliptical galaxy is far too faint and diffuse to make any visual impression without optical aid.

❌ Binoculars
Through binoculars, M87 remains elusive. Although high-end binoculars under pristine Bortle 1 skies may hint at something barely perceptible with averted vision, most observers will find it undetectable due to its low surface brightness and lack of a stellar core.

⚠️ Small Telescope
In a small telescope, such as a 3- to 4-inch refractor, M87 appears as a faint, round smudge of light with no clear structure. It may resemble a slightly defocused star or a dim cotton ball. The bright central region becomes noticeable, but the surrounding halo remains ghostlike and subtle.

✅ Medium Telescope
A medium telescope in the 6- to 10-inch range brings out more character. The bright central core stands out clearly, and with good transparency and patience, observers can detect its soft, extended glow. Under excellent skies, neighboring galaxies like begin to appear in the same field, hinting at the richness of the Virgo Cluster.

✅ Large Telescope
In a large telescope—12 inches or more—M87 takes on greater dimension. The elliptical glow becomes broad and well-defined, and the core is unmistakably intense. Under perfect conditions with high magnification, experienced observers may even glimpse the galaxy’s faint relativistic jet extending from its center. The surrounding field teems with companion galaxies, creating an impressive galactic vista centered on this cosmic heavyweight.

🟣 Under Bortle 1–2 skies, Messier 87 reveals its full, soft glow with a bright, well-defined core and an extended halo. Its elliptical shape is gently apparent, and nearby galaxies in the Virgo Cluster begin to populate the surrounding field. This is the ideal environment to appreciate its true presence, especially with moderate to large telescopes.

🔵 In Bortle 3–4 skies, M87 remains quite viewable, though the outer halo becomes more subdued. The core is still prominent, and experienced observers can still explore surrounding cluster members. The galaxy holds up well, but subtle details like size and structure require more patience and averted vision.

🟠 In Bortle 5–6 skies, the glow of M87 dims significantly. The central condensation may still be visible in medium or larger scopes, but its faint, extended halo fades into background skyglow. Nearby galaxies are difficult or absent entirely. The view flattens, and the galaxy loses much of its grandeur.

🔴 Under Bortle 7+ skies, M87 becomes a challenging object. Light pollution drowns out most of its halo, leaving only a small, faint patch or barely detectable fuzz in larger scopes. Any context within the Virgo Cluster is likely lost, and observing it becomes more of a technical exercise than a visual delight.