The Virgo Cluster is the closest large cluster of galaxies to the Milky Way. With over a thousand known members, the cluster spans an area of the sky about 5 by 3 degrees in size. While some of the most prominent members can be seen in smaller instruments, a 6-inch telescope will reveal about 160 galaxies in this region on a clear night.
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Messier galaxies M84 and M86 are part of Markarian’s Chain, a striking stretch of galaxies that lie along a curved line near the heart of the Virgo Cluster. The string of galaxies – which also includes NGC 4477, NGC 4473, NGC 4461, NGC 4458, NGC 4438 and NGC 4435 – occupies more than a full degree on the border between Virgo and Coma Berenices and can be seen in an 8-inch reflector on a clear, dark night.
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Messier 86 (M86) is an elliptical or lenticular galaxy located in the Virgo Cluster, in the southern constellation Virgo. The galaxy lies at a distance of 52 million light years from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of 9.8. Its designation in the New General Catalogue is NGC 4406.
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Messier 84 (M84) is an elliptical or lenticular galaxy located in the inner region of the Virgo Cluster, in the constellation Virgo. The galaxy lies at an approximate distance of 60 million light years from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of 10.1. It has the designation NGC 4374 in the New General Catalogue.
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