Makarian’s Chain is a collection of galaxies in the Virgo Cluster between 50 and 55 million light years away. It contains the larger galaxies M84 and M86 right in the center and to the left. On top to the right you see M87, the large elliptical galaxy with a large black hole in its center, which has been imaged in 2018 (published in 2019) as the first one of its kind using a worldwide network of radio telescopes.

Acquisition Details

Scope: Borg 90FL/500 with 1.08x Flattener
Filter: None
Camera: ZWO ASI 2600MC Pro
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro
Guiding Scope: MiniBorg 50
Guiding Camera: ZWO ASI 290MM
Guiding Software: PHD2
Acquisition Software: APT
Light Frames: 40x300sec
Flats, Dark Flats, Bias, Darks
Camera settings: Gain 100, Offset 20
Bortle 4-5, no moon
Acquisition Date: April 4, 2021

Processing

Stacking: DSS
Imaging: PixInsight