Elliptical Galaxy NGC 4660

Elliptical galaxy NGC 4660 is one of a hundred galaxies imaged by Hubble that are members of the nearest large galaxy cluster to Earth, the Virgo Cluster. This large galaxy survey was part of an investigation into the number and distribution of globular star clusters that surround galaxies. Globular clusters orbit the center of galaxies in a way that is reminiscent of cometary orbits within the solar system, circling in from every direction and angle. They typically contain hundreds of thousands of old stars. Our Milky Way Galaxy hosts approximately 150 such clusters. NGC 4660 contains 205 globular clusters, a typical number of globular clusters for its size and brightness. The survey found evidence that globulars are more likely to form in dense areas of galaxy clusters, where star birth occurs at a rapid rate, instead of uniformly from galaxy to galaxy. For more information, visit: hubblesite.org/image/2385/news_release/2008-30