Markarian's Chain of Galaxies in the Virgo Cluster

Approximately 30 Galaxies Visible in This Part of the Cluster

 

Background Information

 

Markarian's Chain is a stretch of galaxies that forms part of the Virgo Cluster. When viewed from Earth, the galaxies lie along a smoothly curved line. Charles Messier first discovered two of the galaxies, M84 and M86, in 1781. The other galaxies seen in the chain were discovered by William Herschel and are now known primarily by their catalog numbers in John Louis Emil Dreyer's New General Catalogue, published in 1888. It was ultimately named after the Armenian astrophysicist, Benjamin Markarian, who discovered their common motion in the early 1960s. Member galaxies include M84 (NGC 4374), M86 (NGC 4406), NGC 4477, NGC 4473, NGC 4461, NGC 4458, NGC 4438 and NGC 4435. It is located at RA 12h 27m and Dec +13° 10′.

 

The bright members of the chain are visible through small telescopes. Larger telescopes can be used to view the fainter galaxies. (Wikipedia.org)

 

Technical Information for Image

 

Telescope: William Optics Zenithstar 81 Refractor

Mount: iOptron CEM25P

Imaging Camera: ZWO ASI294MC Pro. Gain 120 at -5C.

Filter: Optolong L-Pro

Guiding: William Optics 50mm, 200mm FL, ASI290MC camera

Exposures: 20 x 180s each Bin 1x1

Capture: ASIAIR Pro

Guiding: ASIAIR Pro through ASI290MC camera

Polar Alignment: ASIAIR Pro

Site: Borrego Springs, CA USA, Bortle 4

Processing: Pixinsight with Touch up in Corel PaintShop Pro.

 

 

Done