Canadian Astrophotographer Captures 'Eyes' Galaxies With Home Telescope

Over nine and a half hours of light data collected by a modest home telescope was all it took for astrophotographer Ronald Brecher to produce a stunning image of the Markarian Chain—a group of giant galaxies glowing in the space between the constellations Leo and Virgo. The photograph captures only a tiny fraction of the massive Virgo Cluster, which is estimated to contain roughly 2,000 galaxies.

This chain is named after astronomer Benjamin E. Markarian, who discovered that these galaxies move through space in a coordinated fashion, according to the website "Space."

The 'Eyes' and Their Glowing Details

In a post on his website, Brecher highlighted the "amazing color and detail" visible in galaxies NGC 4438 and NGC 4435. This close pair, known as "The Eyes," appears just below the center of the image. He explained that immense rivers of dust, gas, and stars swirl around these two galaxies—also called "Markarian's Eyes"—as gravitational forces have disrupted their spiral structure.

To the right of Markarian's Eyes, the bright elliptical galaxies M86 and M84 are visible. These were discovered by the famous astronomer Charles Messier in 1781. They are best observed in May using binoculars or a medium-sized telescope from a location with clear skies.

Backyard Imaging Technique

Brecher captured the images of this galactic chain between April 17 and 27. He used a Skywatcher Esprit 120 telescope equipped with an astronomical camera, a set of filters, and other accessories from his home in the Canadian city of Guelph. He then combined over nine and a half hours of light data to create this unique galactic photograph.