Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Virgo (Vir)  ·  Contains:  M 58  ·  M 84  ·  M 86  ·  M 87  ·  M 88  ·  M 89  ·  M 90  ·  M 91  ·  NGC 4374  ·  NGC 4388  ·  NGC 4406  ·  NGC 4438  ·  NGC 4459  ·  NGC 4473  ·  NGC 4486  ·  NGC 4501  ·  NGC 4548  ·  NGC 4552  ·  NGC 4568  ·  NGC 4569  ·  NGC 4579  ·  Virgo Galaxy
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Markarian's chain, Basudeb Chakrabarti
Markarian's chain
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Markarian's chain

Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
Markarian's chain, Basudeb Chakrabarti
Markarian's chain
Powered byPixInsight

Markarian's chain

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Description

The Markarian's Chain, a deep telescopic field of view, is a string of galaxies located in the centre of the Virgo Galaxy Cluster. Following the chain up and to the left, it is anchored in the frame at left center by the conspicuous lenticular galaxies M84 (top) and M86. The two interacting galaxies NGC 4438 and NGC 4435, sometimes referred to as Markarian's Eyes, are located close to the centre. The Virgo Cluster, the closest galaxy cluster, has a centre believed to be 50 million light-years away. Its gravitational pull on our own Local Group of Galaxies is rather noticeable, with up to roughly 2,000 member galaxies. At least seven of Markarian's Chain's galaxies appear to move coherently within the Virgo Cluster, and more might appear to be part of the chain by chance.

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Markarian's chain, Basudeb Chakrabarti