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The Messier Objects in Virgo

The Messier Objects in Virgo. ISSUE: How to get through the Messier Galaxies In Virgo. Somethings to Consider. Charles Messier used what wuld be today very modest instruments. A 2 inch refractor and 5 inch Refelector

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The Messier Objects in Virgo

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  1. The Messier Objects in Virgo

  2. ISSUE: How to get through the Messier Galaxies In Virgo

  3. Somethings to Consider • Charles Messier used what wuld be today very modest instruments. A 2 inch refractor and 5 inch Refelector • Messier observed from Paris while preindustrial was not a pristine dark sky site • Therefore All of the Messier objects are bright in comaprison to NGC or other catalogs

  4. Somethings to Consider • Charles Messier used what wuld be today very modest instruments. A 2 inch refractor and 5 inch Refelector • Messier observed from Paris while preindustrial and dark by today’s standard was not a pristine dark sky site • Therefore All of the Messier objects are bright in comaprison to NGC or other catalogs • With the above considered, Bright easy to find objects in smaller instruments, the previous chart is reduced to this.

  5. Still a Lot but notice a few things • A Telrad site projected on a M86 and M84 reveals that almost all of the Messier Objects are within a few degrees of this very bright and easy pair • We can use this “asterism” of galaxies to hop 11 other galaxies by simly moving a Few Field of view. (One of the requirements is that you have a FOV eypeice that is approx 1 degree or you know the FOV of a wide field eyepiece you normally use.

  6. What does M84 and M86 Look like? The image to the left shows Markarian’s Chain which is actually anchored byt the 3 large elliptical galaxies M84, M86 and M87. M87 is not in this frame, but is easily found since it is of similar brightness to M84 and M86. Next slide is Zoomed in cahrt of The Chain

  7. How to Look. • One can actually follow the chain up to M88 and then back down to M86 and M84. A brief jump to M87 and then back. Congratulations Already 4 of the 11 done. • To Find M98, M99 and M100 identify the 5.1 magnitude Star as shown in the next 2 slides. M98 M99 and M100 are all easy jumps from it. • Now you are up to 7 and the rest are easy jumps from M87 or M84/M86 as was seen in a previous slide. Next 3 slides show details of these objects

  8. The last ones M85, M49 and M61 • M85 is a little over 2 degrees north of M100. M100 is a small face on spiral that should be easy to identify from the 5.1 mag star. M85 is bright and should be seen with little trouble • M49 and M61 are beneath the arms of Virgo and are easily the 2 brightest galaxies there. M61 is the further south one almost straight 6.5 deg east of Delta Virginis (3rd Magnitude) . M49 is about 4 degrees north of that. See next slide

  9. Summary • The Virgo Cluster is not difficult assuming you operate under the same conditions as Charles Messier • What is important is knowing your Field of View in the eyepiece and how to move your telescope accurately. • A Telrad is a great aid • Spend time identifying the M86, M84 and M87 Triplet. Always come back to them when you get lost and start again.

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