Markarian chain of galaxies

Sketch ready:2000.05.01.

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Markarian chain

Wide field view of the Markarian chain in the heart of the Virgo galaxy cluster.

Drawing data

Object(s):: M 84, 86, 87 Vir GX
NGC 4388, 4435, 4438, 4459, 4473, 4477, 4478 Vir GX
Date(s) of observation:: 2000.04.30/05.01. Ágasvár
Place(s) of observation:: Ágasvár, Hungary
Telescope(s) used:: 4" f/4 Newtonian (Dobson)
Enlargement(s) used:: 16x (25mm Plössl)
Field size:: 2.9°
Author / Observer:: Kiss Péter

Andromeda nebula

Galaxies M 31, M 32 and M 110

Description

It's always been a dream of mine to draw a galaxy cluster where there are many galaxies in the field of view. With such a small telescope under the northern sky there are not so many options. The obvious choice is the central part of the Virgo galaxy cluster with its Messier galaxies and the Markarian chain.

Names of the galaxies in the Markarian chain field.

M 86 has a smaller and brighter core than M 84. NGC 4388 is very faint and small. NGC 4459 doesn't have a stellar core. All other galaxies do. NGC 4473 seems to be somewhat contrasty. NGC 4477 is more diffuse.

It was a great pleasure to draw this field. After 14 years I still remember sketching it at night and also the processing of the final drawing later.