Jim Burnell's CCD Images - Markarian's Chain Clicking on the image will display a full-frame view.

 

Object: Markarian's Chain	Galaxy Cluster	Const.: Virgo
Camera: STL11000M	Scope: Tele Vue NP127is	Mount: Losmandy Titan
Filter(s): none	Exposure: 9x8m	blank
This image, which includes the string of galaxies known as Markarian's Chain, as well as the galaxy M87, is in the constellation Virgo. It was acquired using an SBIG STL11000M CCD camera mounted on a Tele Vue NP127is. This image is a stack of 9 eight-minute exposures that were calibrated, defect-corrected and stacked using AIP4Win Version 2. A Sigmoid scaling was applied to bring out the myriad of background galaxies and prevent burning out the galaxy cores. This image has been resampled down from its original size of 4008x2672. Clicking on it will show a full-sized version. The map below shows most of the objects in this field. Clicking on it will bring up a larger version. The three digit number after each object designation on the map is the magnitude, with the decimal point omitted (i.e. mag 17.2 is represented as 172). The galaxy cluster is the upper right corner is Abell 1526, which is more easily seen in the large version of the image.

 

Object: Markarian's Chain	Galaxy Cluster	Const.: Virgo
Camera: SXV-H9	Scope: Tele Vue TV-60is	Mount: Losmandy Titan
Filter(s): none	Exposure: 12x8m	blank
This image of the string of galaxies known as Markarian's Chain in the constellation Virgo, was acquired using an SXV-H9 CCD camera mounted on a Tele Vue TV-60 Imaging System, a 60mm f/6 apochromatic refractor specifically designed for CCD imaging. The TV-60IS uses a field flattener designed to provide pinpoint stars corner to corner across the frame. This image is a stack of 12 eight-minute exposures that were calibrated, defect-corrected and stacked using AIP4Win Version 2. A gamma stretch was applied to bring out the myriad of background galaxies. This image has been resampled down from its original size of 1380x1036. The map below identifies many of the galaxies visible in this image. Further down this page is a version of this image that was processed using some of the new noise reduction tools in AIP4Win V2.

 

This map of the Markarian's Chain region in the Virgo Cluster identifies the majority of the galaxies in the image above. This map was generated using MegaStar V5. Click on it to see a larger view.

 

Object: Markarian's Chain	Galaxy Cluster	Const.: Virgo
Camera: SXV-H9	Scope: Tele Vue TV-60is	Mount: Losmandy Titan
Filter(s): none	Exposure: 12x8m	blank
This image image consists of the same calibrated and stacked raw image as above, but after it was stacked a k-sigma Wavelet Noise Reduction was performed using AIP4Win V2. The image was then Histogram Shaped using a tangent histogram. The noise removal tools enable the very strong stretching, without the image detail being overcome by noise. Galaxies down to 19th magnitude have been identified in this image taken with a 60mm refractor.