2022’s top deep-sky target: Markarian’s Chain
This meandering line of galaxies makes for an excellent imaging target
When: Most visible March to June 2022 Equipment to use: A 75mm refractor to 200mm reflector should provide excellent views. To capture the whole chain, a DSLR and long lens (300mm focal length) does the job nicely.
A great spring and early summer target, Markarian’s Chain is unique in that it’s just a small part of the huge Virgo Cluster of galaxies; if you point your scope in its vague direction, you will doubtless land on a galaxy-rich landscape. Markarian’s Chain is a string of large spiral and lenticular galaxies. The main belt is made up of seven bright galaxies including M84 and M86. There is also a pair of interacting Galaxies (NGC4435 and NGC4438) known as Markarian’s Eyes. Other dimmer galaxies float alongside.
You’ll be able to pick up brighter parts of the chain with a pair of 100mm binoculars in dark skies, but a telescope is better. Markarian’s Chain can be viewed with a small refractor to see the whole chain, however you will still see the brighter galaxies as fuzzy white blobs. Medium power eyepieces of around 15mm focal length allow you to get in a little closer. For detail, use a longer focal length and a larger aperture such as a 200–250mm reflector, and hop from galaxy to galaxy along the chain.
Where Markarian’s Chain really comes into its own is as an imaging target; a DSLR tagged onto the end of a 70mm refractor will capture it. Stacking about an hours’ worth of 1-2 minute exposures is a good start.
Get prepared
The Virgo Cluster consists of around 2,000 galaxies. Due to the cluster’s size and sheer number of objects in it, finding Markarian’s Chain can be problematic. A GoTo setup will help here, as you can search for one of the brighter galaxies – like M86 – to locate it. By eye, draw a straight line between the stars Denebola in Leo, the Lion, and Vindemiatrix in Virgo, the Virgin; the chain is about halfway between. Galaxies are delicate objects to observe, so ensure your eyes are fully dark adapted (at least 20 minutes) when observing.
A dark site will help reveal fainter galaxies in 150–200mm aperture telescopes. Larger galaxies will still be visible under mild light pollution but quickly get washed out as you climb up the Bortle scale into greater light pollution. Because of this, it’s also best to view at new and early Moon phases.