June 9, 2009
You share your birthday with the light of distant galaxies that has been traveling for millions of years just to arrive here, now, alongside...
Markarian's Chain of Galaxies
Birthday · June 9, 2009
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APOD published June 9, 2009. Credit: Piotrek Sadowski. A publication-date match, not a photo taken on your date. Independent of NASA.
Across the heart of the Virgo Cluster of Galaxies lies a striking string of galaxies known as Markarian's Chain. The chain, pictured above, is highlighted on the upper right with two large but featureless lenticular galaxies, M84 and M86. Prominent to their lower left is a pair of interacting galaxies known as The Eyes. The home Virgo Cluster is the nearest cluster of galaxies, contains over 2000 galaxies, and has a noticeable gravitational pull on the galaxies of the Local Group of Galaxies surrounding our Milky Way Galaxy. The center of the Virgo Cluster is located about 70 million light years away toward the constellation of Virgo. At least seven galaxies in the chain appear to move coherently, although others appear to be superposed by chance.
Image credit: Piotrek Sadowski