Markarian's Chain (Drag your mouse over the image to see the galaxies labeled.)

  
 
 
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  • RA: ~12:26
  • Dec: ~+12:47
  • Magnitude: 9.2 (M86), 9.3 (M84), 10-13 (other galaxies)
  • Size: 7.4 (M86), 5.0 (M84), 1.4-5.1 arc min (other galaxies)
  • Distance: 60000 kly (based on M86 and M84)
  • Constellation:  Virgo
  • Scope: Orion ED80 f/7
  • Autoguider:  ST-4 in faint mode
  • Sky conditions:  Good transparency and seeing
  • Camera: Griffin Modified Canon 350XT
  • Exposure:  6 x 8minutes ISO800
  • Date:  May 9, 2008
Comments:  I have identified the galaxies that I could in the mouseover.  The night was quite cool (near 40F) but very clear and still.  Towards the end of the night the Milky Way climbed high enough out of the Chicago light dome to be clearly visible.  This chain of galaxies is called Markarian's Chain and is part of the Virgo cluster of galaxies.  The whole cluster is receding from us at over 1000 km/s.