Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                 2021 May 22
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                              Markarian's Chain
                 Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Ginge Anvik

   Explanation: Near the heart of the [5]Virgo Galaxy Cluster the string
   of galaxies known as [6]Markarian's Chain stretches across this deep
   [7]telescopic field of view. Anchored in the frame at bottom center by
   prominent lenticular galaxies, [8]M84 (bottom) and [9]M86, you can
   follow the chain up and to the right. Near center you'll spot the pair
   of interacting galaxies NGC 4438 and NGC 4435, known to some as
   [10]Markarian's Eyes. Its center an estimated 50 million light-years
   distant, the [11]Virgo Cluster itself is the nearest [12]galaxy
   cluster. With up to about 2,000 member galaxies, it has a noticeable
   gravitational influence on our own [13]Local Group of Galaxies. Within
   the Virgo Cluster at least seven galaxies in Markarian's Chain
   [14]appear to move coherently, although others may appear to be part of
   the chain by chance.

                     Tomorrow's picture: the galaxy tree
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    Authors & editors: [26]Robert Nemiroff ([27]MTU) & [28]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([29]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [30]Specific rights apply.
              [31]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [32]ASD at [33]NASA / [34]GSFC
                           & [35]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2105/MarkariansChainAnvik.jpg
   3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
   4. https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginges
   5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgo_Cluster
   6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markarian%27s_Chain
   7. https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginges/50874617483/
   8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messier_84
   9. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap180814.html
  10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap070608.html
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150804.html
  12. http://www.astr.ua.edu/white/mug/cluster/clusters.html
  13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_Group
  14. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1983AN....304...69L
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210521.html
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  19. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  24. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=210522
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210523.html
  26. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  27. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  28. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  29. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  31. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  32. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  33. https://www.nasa.gov/
  34. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  35. http://www.mtu.edu/