| Designation |
Markarian's Chain of
Galaxies: M86, M84, NGC 4402, NGC 4435, 4438, 4387, 4388, 4425 (the
brightest)
|
| Type | Various classes of galaxies |
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Coordinates | Telescope centered at RA '12 26 27' Dec '-13 23 26' |
| Magnitude | |
| Size | |
| Distance | 65 million light years |
| Dimensions | |
| Image Field | 90.6 x 131.3 arcminutes |
|
Notes:
|
The two brightest (eliptical) galaxies
pictured here are M 86 & M 84. They are close to the gravitational
center of the Coma-Virgo Galaxy Supercluster. This cluster is approximately
65 million light years distant. To give a sense of proportion to these
distant galaxies, consider these facts about the brightest member
(M86). It's absolute magnitude is -22.1, so it shines with a luminosity
of about 57 million suns and it's diameter is 175,000 light years
across.
To give another perspective, the light from these galaxies
has been traveling since the end of the Mesozoic Era (Cretaceous Period),and was collected by a 60mm (2.5") telescope. At roughly the time
this light started it's journey, earth received a metoer impact at
the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, creating a crater almost 200km across,
posibly causing global devastation and extinction of dinosaurs, along
with an estimated 85% of all life resulting in the transition to the
Cenozoic Era.
|
|
|
| Telescope | Takahashi FS60C f/5.9 on Losmandy G-11 with Gemini L3 |
| Focal Length | 264 mm @ f/4.4 with Takahashi focal reducer |
| Guiding | ST-4 guider through 10" SCT @ f/3.3 |
| Telescope Control | Maxim DL (V3) |
| CCD Camera |
Starlight Xpress SXV-H9 - USB 2 ExView progressive scan
1392
x 1040 (6.45 uM) pixel array (8.98 x 6.71 active area)
|
| Image Scale | 5.23 arcsec/pixel |
| Filters |
1.25" Astronomik Type II Dichroic IR blocking
filters in Astronomik filter drawer - Clear, Red, Green, Blue
|
| Exposures |
120
minutes total exposure: Luminance 60 (12x5) minutes unbinned,
R,G,B 20 minutes each (5 x 4) unbinned
|
| Calibration | None |
| Processing Software | Maxim DL, Photoshop CS (8.0) |
| Location | Chiefland Astronomy Village, FL - 29.393 N , - 82.863 W |
| Date/Time | 05/23/04 / '04:12' - '05:22' UT' |
