Astronomy Picture of the Day [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2026 May 1 [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest resolution version available. Markarian's Chain Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Chuck Ayoub Explanation: Near the heart of the [5]Virgo Galaxy Cluster, a string of galaxies known as [6]Markarian's Chain stretches across this telescopic field of view. Anchored in the frame at bottom right by prominent lenticular galaxies, [7]M84 (bottom) and [8]M86, you can follow the chain's gentle arc up and toward the left. Near center you'll spot the pair of interacting galaxies NGC 4438 and NGC 4435, known to some as [9]Markarian's Eyes. An estimated 50 million light-years distant, the [10]Virgo Cluster itself is the nearest [11]galaxy cluster. With up to about 2,000 member galaxies, it has a noticeable gravitational influence on our own [12]Local Group of Galaxies. Within the Virgo Cluster at least seven galaxies in Markarian's Chain [13]appear to move coherently, while others may appear to be part of the chain by chance. Tomorrow's picture: seeing Titan __________________________________________________________________ [14]< | [15]Archive | [16]Submissions | [17]Index | [18]Search | [19]Calendar | [20]RSS | [21]Education | [22]About APOD | [23]Discuss | [24]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [25]Robert Nemiroff ([26]MTU) & [27]Jerry Bonnell ([28]UMCP) NASA Official: Amber Straughn [29]Specific rights apply. [30]NASA Web Privacy, [31]Accessibility, [32]Notices; A service of: [33]ASD at [34]NASA / [35]GSFC, [36]NASA Science Activation & [37]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2605/M84andM86.png 3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 4. https://www.youtube.com/chucksastrophotography 5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgo_Cluster 6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markarian's_Chain 7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messier_84 8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap180814.html 9. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap070608.html 10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150804.html 11. http://www.astr.ua.edu/white/mug/cluster/clusters.html 12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_Group 13. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1983AN....304...69L 14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260430.html 15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 18. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 20. https://apod.com/feed.rss 21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 23. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260501 24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260502.html 25. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 26. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 27. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 28. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 30. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 31. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/ 32. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/ 33. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 34. https://www.nasa.gov/ 35. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 36. https://science.nasa.gov/learners 37. http://www.mtu.edu/