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On this page I collect my observations of the lenticular galaxy NGC 4461 (or NGC 4443) and the elliptical galaxy NGC 4458 (Holm 411) in the constellation Virgo. They are members of Markarian's chain.
The galaxies NGC 4461 (lenticular; alternatively NGC 4443) und NGC 4458 (elliptical) in constellation Virgo are members of Markarian's chain (see below), which is part of the larger Virgo Cluster of galaxies, and interact with one another. They form the galaxy pair Holm 411. If the galaxies are moved towards the top left of the field of view, you can also see the lenticular galaxies NGC 4438 and NGC 4435 (The Eyes) in the same field of view with the eVscope.
The near-by elliptical galaxy NGC 4473 can only be captured together with both galaxies with the eVscope 2, not the eVscope. It is also a member of Markarian's Chain.
With the Vespera, you can image the entire Markarian's Chain if you create a mosaic; this also includes the galaxies NGC 4473 (elliptical) and NGC 4477 (lenticular).
| NGC 4458 | NGC 4461 (NGC 4443) |
NGC 4473 | ||
| Size: 1.6' x 1.5' (SkySafari) Distance: 53 million light years (SkySafari) Rating: --- |
Size: 3.6' x 1.2' (SkySafari) Distance: 39 million light years (SkySafari) Rating: --- |
Size: 4.5' x 2.5' (Wikipedia DE) Distance: 98 million light years (Wikipedia DE) Rating: --- |
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| NGC 4435 (The Eyes) | NGC 4438 (The Eyes) | NGC 4477 | ||
| Size: 3.0' x 2.1' (SkySafari) Distance: 54 million light years (SkySafari) Rating: --- |
Size: 9.2' x 4.0' (SkySafari) Distance: 37 million light years (SkySafari) Rating: --- |
Size: 3.7' x 3.3' (Wikipedia DE) Distance: 58 million light years (Wikipedia DE) Rating: --- |
The lenticular galaxy NGC 4461 (the larger one) and the elliptical galaxy NGC 4458 (the smaller one) in the constellation Virgo (yellow dots; Image Courtesy of SkySafari Astronomy, www.simulationcurriculum.com)
Member galaxies of Markarian's Chain, which forms the core of the Virgo Galaxy Cluster, include M 84 (NGC 4374), M 86 (NGC 4406), NGC 4477, NGC 4473, NGC 4461, NGC 4458 (not always assigned to the chain...), NGC 4438, and NGC 4435. At the right edge of the chain, there is the Great Galactic Face (GGF).
Markarian's Chain includes the galaxies NGC 4477 to M 84 (from left to right, marked with yellow dots). (Image Courtesy of SkySafari Astronomy, www.simulationcurriculum.com)
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NGC 4461/58 - May 30, 2021 |
NGC 4461/58 - May 30, 2021, photo left processed |
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NGC 4435/38 - May 30, 2021; the Eyes at the bottom right; NGC 4461/58 at the top left (1st third) |
NGC 4435/38 - May 30, 2021, photo left processed |
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NGC 4461/58 - Apr 17, 2022, "The Eyes" to the right, NGC 4473 at the top left |
NGC 4461/58 - Apr 17, 2022, photo left processed |
Evaluation with nova.astrometry.net |
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Markarian's Chain - May 18, 2023, mosaic, original |
Ditto, processed with DeNoise, large |
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Evaluation with nova.astrometry.net |
Evaluation with nova.astrometry.net, large |
