Die Markarjansche Kette ist eine Ansammlung von Galaxien im Virgo-Haufen, die die Form einer leicht gekrümmten Kurve hat. Sie ist nach dem Astrophysiker Benjamin Markarjan benannt, der sie in den 1970er Jahren intensiv beobachtete. Zur Markarjanschen Kette im engeren Sinne gehören die Galaxien M 84 (NGC 4374), M 86 (NGC 4406), NGC 4435, NGC 4438, NGC 4461, NGC 4473 und NGC 4477. Von manchen Autoren werden auch weitere Galaxien wie NGC 4458 dazugerechnet.

Markarian's Chain is a stretch of galaxies that forms part of the Virgo Cluster. When viewed from Earth, the galaxies lie along a smoothly curved line. Charles Messier first discovered two of the galaxies, M84 and M86, in 1781. The other galaxies seen in the chain were first mentioned in John Louis Emil Dreyer's New General Catalogue, published in 1888.[1] It was ultimately named after the Armenian astrophysicist, Benjamin Markarian, who discovered their common motion in the early 1960s.[2] Member galaxies include M84 (NGC 4374), M86 (NGC 4406), NGC 4477, NGC 4473, NGC 4461, NGC 4458, NGC 4438 and NGC 4435. It is located at RA 12h 27m and Dec +13° 10′.

Das Siebengestirn, die Pleiaden, Messier 45. Juwel des Herbsthimmels

APM 140/980mm auf Celestron CGEM DX; Nikon D700 unmodifizieret; DeepSkyStacker, Fitswork, Photoshop CC.

55min. Belichtung (11x300Sek). Darks.

Open Cluster in the constellation Cygnus. Also called "Pirates Bird"