Markarian's Chain

The Markarjan'sche chain is a cluster of galaxies in the Virgo cluster that has the shape of a slightly curved line. It is named after the astrophysicist Benjamin Markarian, who was watching intensely in the 1970s.

To Markarjan'schen chain in the narrow sense include the galaxy M 84 (NGC 4374), M 86 (NGC 4406), NGC 4435, NGC 4438, NGC 4461, NGC 4473 and NGC 4477th Some authors are also other galaxies like NGC 4458 included as well.

Except for NGC 4406, the Earth with a radial velocity of about 244 km / second approaches, the other galaxies are moving away at speed 70-2200 kilometer / second from the earth.

Astronomical Data

The galaxies of the Markarjan'sche chain lie in a region of the sky coordinates to right ascension 12h 28m and declination 13 ° 10 ', the expansion is about 1.5 degrees.