What Is Markarian's Chain?
Markarian's Chain is a visually striking alignment of galaxies that forms the eastern edge of the Virgo Galaxy Cluster — the nearest large galaxy cluster to our own Local Group, lying roughly 54 million light-years away. The chain takes its name from Armenian astrophysicist Benjamin Markarian, who studied the member galaxies in the 1960s.
From a telescope eyepiece, the chain appears as a curving arc of faint but distinct galaxy cores, stretching across roughly 1.5° of sky. On exceptional nights with good transparency and a wide-field eyepiece, observers have reported fitting as many as eight or nine galaxies into a single field of view — a truly humbling spectacle.
The Key Galaxies of the Chain
| Galaxy | NGC / M Number | Type | Magnitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| M84 | NGC 4374 | Lenticular (S0) | 9.1 |
| M86 | NGC 4406 | Elliptical / Lenticular | 8.9 |
| NGC 4435 | — | Lenticular | 10.8 |
| NGC 4438 | The Eyes (with 4435) | Disturbed spiral | 10.1 |
| NGC 4458 | — | Elliptical | 12.1 |
| NGC 4461 | — | Lenticular | 11.2 |
| NGC 4473 | — | Elliptical | 10.2 |
| NGC 4477 | — | Barred lenticular | 10.4 |
The Eyes: NGC 4435 and NGC 4438
Perhaps the most visually compelling pair in the chain is NGC 4435 and NGC 4438, nicknamed "The Eyes." Through a medium-to-large telescope, this interacting pair of galaxies appears like two glowing orbs staring back at you. NGC 4438 shows visible tidal distortion, the result of its gravitational interaction both with NGC 4435 and possibly with M86.
How to Find Markarian's Chain
The chain sits on the border between Virgo and Coma Berenices and is best approached as follows:
- Identify the bright star Vindemiatrix (ε Virginis) as a starting reference, or use the brighter star Denebola (β Leonis) as a wide-field guide.
- Star-hop from Denebola roughly 8° southeast to the M84/M86 pair, which will appear as two fuzzy "stars" close together. These are the anchors of the chain.
- From M84/M86, sweep eastward — the remaining galaxies of the chain arc gently toward the northeast.
A low-power, wide-field eyepiece (focal length 30–40mm in a standard 1.25" barrel, or a 2" wide-field) is ideal for taking in the chain in one sweeping view.
Equipment Recommendations
- Minimum aperture: 150mm (6 inches) to detect most members.
- Ideal aperture: 200–250mm (8–10 inches) for clear resolution of galaxy cores and tidal features.
- Dark skies are essential: Light pollution dramatically washes out these relatively faint galaxies.
- Best eyepiece: A wide, low-power view first to locate and appreciate the chain, then switch to medium power for individual galaxy study.
Best Time to Observe
The Virgo Cluster is best positioned during spring evenings in the Northern Hemisphere, from approximately March through May. Virgo reaches its highest point in the sky during April nights, offering the best transparency through the thinnest slice of Earth's atmosphere.