Messier 85 is a galaxy in the Coma Berenices constellation. It is 60 million light-years away, and it is estimated to be 125,000 light-years across. M85 has a very complex outer structure with shells and ripples that are thought to have been caused by a merger with another galaxy that took place between 4 and 7 billion years ago, as well as a relatively young (<3 billion years old) stellar population on its centermost region, some of it in a ring, that may have been created by a late starburst. M85 is still interacting with the nearby spiral galaxy NGC 4394, and a small elliptical galaxy called MCG 3-32-38.
NGC4394 (L) and Messier 85 (R)
Telescope: 16″ f3.75 Dream Scope
Camera: FLI ML16803
Mount: ASA DDM85
Exposure: 6.5 hours (48x300s L + 3x10x300s RGB)
Date: April 2021
Location: Southern Alps, France
Original FOV
Bart Delsaert - Astrophotography 