Posted on 05/22/2021 4:13:25 PM PDT by MtnClimber
Explanation: Near the heart of the Virgo Galaxy Cluster the string of galaxies known as Markarian's Chain stretches across this deep telescopic field of view. Anchored in the frame at bottom center by prominent lenticular galaxies, M84 (bottom) and 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 Markarian's Eyes. Its center an estimated 50 million light-years distant, the Virgo Cluster itself is the nearest galaxy cluster. With up to about 2,000 member galaxies, it has a noticeable gravitational influence on our own Local Group of Galaxies. Within the Virgo Cluster at least seven galaxies in Markarian's Chain appear to move coherently, although others may appear to be part of the chain by chance.
For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.
The zoom function described in post #1 works very well with this photo to get a close look at individual galaxies.
bttt
I took an astronomy course in college. It was at the time of the Hubble telescope launch. It was a fascinating class.
A few years later my best friend built a telescope with his business partners. They would sit around a table at their meetings and polish the glass for the mirror. They pushed it back and forth, rotated it, and continued.
Then they had the glass mirror coated and mounted in inside a sonotube, those forms for pouring concrete posts. An eyepiece was added to the up end of this telescope that focused on the mirror, which was aimed to the heavens at the celestial object they wanted to see.
You had to ascend a pretty tall ladder to see into this thing as it was quite large. But you could clearly see the Orion Nebula with all the colored gaseous clouds around it, or cosmic dust or whatever it is. But the experience of seeing that was something I’ll never forget.
Thanks for posting the APOTD.
I've seen one estimate that there could be up to 2 trillion galaxies in the universe. I wonder if anyone has tried to calculate how many stars that might be--given that galaxies vary greatly in size.
It is mind boggling just trying to comprehend the size of our own galaxy.
This is going to sound silly. But sometimes, when viewing magnificent images like this one, I get a mental picture of God tossing galaxies around like He’s playing a game of horseshoes. :-)
There is a scene at the end of the first episode of season 2 of The Chosen where Jesus is alone with the apostle John in the back room of a synagogue where they are deciding to pick a reading for Jesus to read before an invited gathering. The whole scene is about John beginning to realize the divinity of Jesus. Eventually John says he likes the beginning. Jesus agrees and says yes it is a good memory. It is a line when you think about it that is also mind boggling. What follows is Jesus reading the opening lines of Genesis and cross cutting to John years later beginning to write the opening lines to his gospel.
Oh Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
All those trillions of stars and planetary systems, and some say none have developed an intelligent race?
I am not buying that.
Why wouldn’t you buy it? It is debatable if there even intelligent life here on Earth.
“After moving to Arizona”
All those years defending California and you end up with moving to AZ?
That is really nice!
Unfortunately it reached a point a few years back where there was nothing left to defend. After a full analysis I came to the conclusion there was no saving or salvaging it. Not in my lifetime or by traditional civil means anyway. Pretty much the leftist now control it all. The Communist and their leftist puppets nuked the once crown jewel of the U.S.. Besides, what I have now would have cost me 3 times more in CA, for a lesser property! That wasn’t going to happen!☺
Thanks. I about died digging the scope footing and pier. The scope pier is independent of the floor to eliminate vibrations. A real beat down.
Glad you got it right.
Years of seeing die-hards (not necessarily you) saying things about turning it around.....
I bailed out 15 years ago, and just recently bought a small place in AZ, hoping to convince my wife to sell the prime home here and get a larger one there. She hates the moving stuff. The winters freak her out as well.
Well it wasn’t just getting it right, it was also job, commitments, responsibilities etc. Btw, I agree, moving sucks.
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