I was looking Friday night at M87, the large main elliptical of the Virgo Cluster.  To me it seemed odd and to have some structure.  It looked like a dark band through the center.  But that doesn't square with other photos I've seen of M87.  Perhaps my mind was playing tricks on me.  Of course M87 is famous for having a jet streaking out from the center of it.  But I didn't think that was observable in a simple telescope.  There are also some galaxies behind the faint edges of M87.  Is it possible that was what I was looking at?  I thought they were too faint for a simple amateur telescope.  Maybe I'm finally losing it and hallucinating.  Too many drugs in college!

Anyone else see structure in M87?

Sterling

 The only structure in M87 should be three layers of brightness. There are two satelitte galaxies to one side of the galaxy and perhaps you saw them. However the Jet shouldn't shoot across the centre but of to one side from it. It lies on the opposite side of the galaxy to the other two galaxies.

Have you checked Lenses/ Mirrors for dust and scratches?( You didn't specifiy which scope you had, so sorry.)

I've never heard of nor seen a dark band associated with M87. 

It's a difficult challenge object but a few amateur astronomers have visually observed M87's jet at high magnification with large apertures under very dark skies.

http://www.astronomy-mall.com/Adventures.In.Deep.Space/m87jet.htm

http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=1375

Dave Mitsky

It's interesting what you say you saw. What kind of scope and with what focal length of eyepiece were you using. I'm wondering about secondary mirror shadow.

The jet is visible in an amature scope but it is a difficult object. It was almost exactly a year ago that I manage to observe the Jet in M87 using an f/5 25" eq mounted newtonian. I was using 635X magnification. I also tried for it that evening using my 12.5". I have suspicions of seeing it but won't commit. Here is a sketch I did that shows what I saw. That scope is great on galaxies. http://rascvic.zenfolio.com/p566114947/h18edb761#h30222f4a

If I'd been thinking I might have tried for it last night when I was out at my new dark site where the SQM reading shortly after midnight was 21.93. It's a great place.

Bill