HVGC-1 is the first discovered hypervelocity globular cluster.^[2] Discovered in 2014, it was found escaping the supergiant elliptical galaxy Messier 87,^[3] in the Virgo Cluster.^[1] It is one of thousands of globular clusters found in M87.^[4] It is the first hypervelocity star cluster so far discovered.^[5] The globular is located at decimal degrees (RA, DEC) (187.72791°, +12.68295°).^[1]

Quick Facts Constellation, Right ascension ...

HVGC-1 [1]
Observation data (J2000.0[1] epoch)
Constellation	Virgo
Right ascension	12h 30m 54.70s [1]
Declination	+12° 40′ 58.61″ [1]
Distance	54 Mly (16.5 Mpc [1])
Physical characteristics
Metallicity	${\displaystyle {\begin{smallmatrix}\left[{\ce {Fe}}/{\ce {H}}\right]\end{smallmatrix}}}$ = −0.9±0.3 [1] dex
Notable features	First discovered hypervelocity globular cluster
Other designations	HVGC-1,[1] H70848,[1] M87 H70848[1]
See also: Globular cluster, List of globular clusters

Close

The object was observed to have an outlier velocity, ending with a determined radial velocity of −1026±13 km/s. In relation to M87, its velocity was determined to be 2100–2300 km/s. The cluster's velocity is so high that it will escape the Virgo Cluster as well.^[1]

The cluster's velocity is thought to originate by being ejected by the supermassive black hole at the center of M87, when the black hole stripped the outer layers of HVGC-1 off, it also ejected the remaining core with greater than escape velocity.^[2]