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(IAAC) Obj: M84, M86, NGC 4438, NGC 4435, NGC 4461, NGC 4473, NGC 4477 (Markarian chain), also NGC 4387 - Inst: TV-102 (102mm f/8.6 APO refractor)



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Observation Poster: Ron B[ee] <ronby@cox.net>

Observer: Ron B[ee]
Your skills: Intermediate (some years)
Date/time of observation: 03/09/02 1:00am PST
Location of site: 117h 9m W (Lat 32h 43m N, Elev 2000 ft.)
Site classification: Exurban
Sky darkness: 5..7 <Limiting magnitude>
Seeing: 7 (some stars twinkling) <1-10 Seeing Scale (10 best)>
Moon presence: None - moon not in sky
Instrument: TV-102 (102mm f/8.6 APO refractor)
Magnification: 22x, 44x, 73x, 110x, 176x
Filter(s): 
Object(s): M84, M86, NGC 4438, NGC 4435, NGC 4461, NGC 4473, NGC 4477 (Markarian chain), also NGC 4387
Category: External galaxy.
Class: 
Constellation: Vir
Data: mag   size 
Position: RA :  DEC :
Description:
Last year, if someone has asked me "Ron, have you seen the Markarian's chain 
with your 4" refractor (C102-HD at the time)?", I would have replied "No way 
would I waste my time looking at the Markedly-Dim chain" ;-) because galaxies 
were very disappointing. Well, I've since discovered that the TV-102 Light Cup 
did not disappoint with galaxies. So tonight being hurled out of the M51. the 
Light Cup landed into the Markarian's chain. See this link for info on the 
members (with a nice photo too) and the member's magnitude and size.
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/stellar/scenes/object_e/makarian.htm
I spent a wonderful one hour (LM=5.7); Virgo caught some light pollution by the time I was done.  At 22x (40mm Pentax XL), all members of the Markarian's chain 
could be seen in the same 3 degree FOV, M84/M86 being the brightest and the
largest, NGC 4461 being almost stellar and quite dim. At 44x (20mm TV Plossl), 
M84, M86 and NGC 4438/4435 fits the narrow Plossl's FOV. M86 is clearly larger 
than M84, but M84 seems to have a slightly brighter core.  Moving the scope, 
NGC 4461, 4473, 4477 fits into the Plossl's FOV also; NGC 4461 has very little 
nebulosity around it while NGC 4473 and 4477 both have stellar core. Often 
enough, the 12mm Radian Galaxy Grabber is very revealing. At 73x, M84/M86 and 
NGC 4438 form almost a perfect love triangle ;-). But what is this? I tell you
the TV-102 Light Cup showed me another very dim galaxy right smack in the 
middle of the triangle at the very edge of detection. It's not on my chart! 
(Later I checked with The Sky and it's a mag 12 NGC 4387 galaxy, 1.4' x 42" in 
size.) In the photo, there is supposed to be a mag 11.7 NGC 4402 galaxy (3.3' x 
1.0' in size) nearby. But it's no where to be seen :-(. M84 and M81 gradually 
brighten toward the center, oval shape. NGC 4435 is elongated but NGC 4438 has
a brighter core. Moving to the other side of the chain, NGC 4473 and 4477 form 
a neat triangle with a mag 10.2 star GSC 880:567, with NGC 4473 having a 
brighter core. The tiny NGC 4461 is non-stellar now and form almost a perfectly 
straight line with a mag 9.4 star SAO 100120 and mag 11 star GSC 880:640. 
Incredibly, a grainy texture is seen at 110x (8mm Radian) in M84 and M86 but 
their cores are still stellar.  At this magnification, I thought I had glimpse 
NGC 4402 with averted vision, but I really couldn't be sure. NGC 4438 and NGC 
4435 looked almost like they're almost touching. NGC 4414 is clearly elongated
and still dim. NGC 4473 and 4477 still have stellar core. Wow at 176x (5mm
Radian); M84 and M86 can take magnification. Non-stellar cores now in both 
galaxy, more pronounced grainy texture in both galaxies with gradual 
brightening toward the center. See these two very nice sketches I found on the 
web; they are very close to what I saw at low power.
http://www.jwebdale.btinternet.co.uk/virgocluster.htm
http://www.jwebdale.btinternet.co.uk/virgocluster2.htm

In all this, I couldn't help but wonder why I couldn't see the mag 11.7 NGC 
4402 for certain while I could see the mag 12 NGC 4387 quite positively. Could 
the difference in size of only a few arcmin have caused this?  In all these
excitement and freezing, finger numbing 40 degree F, M87 was completely 
forgotten :-(.

At this rate of progress, I'll be "chained" ;-) to Leo, Canes Vernatici, Coma 
Berenices and Virgo for a life-time in order to view all of the galaxies within 
the reach of the modest aperture of the 4" TV-102 Light Cup!


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