Messier 84 and 86

84 86 final

Object:   M84 & M86 (NGC 4374 & 4406) Date:               2018 May 17
Type:  Elliptical galaxies
Constellation:           Virgo Time & altitude:         22.20 UT      46º
Catalogue data: Seeing (5 high):                               3/5
            R.A:                12h 26m Transparency (5 high):                   3/5
            Dec:                12º 55 Telescope:     0.5m f4.1  Dob.
            Magnitude     10.1 & 9.8 Eyepiece       8mm Ethos                x260
            Size (mins)    5 x 4 & 7 x 5 Filters:            None

Notes:

This pair of galaxies is just visible together in the 23 arcmins field of the 8mm Ethos. M84 is very nearly round with a conspicuous core and a faint star just off the W edge. M86 is larger than M84, a 3:2 oval aligned SE-NW. A faint star is just off the E edge.

Numerous other galaxies were seen nearby, including two edge-on spirals, beyond the edge of the drawing, one to the N and one to the S. The galaxy in the drawing, lying midway between M84 & M86 and S of them, is NGC 4387 mag 13.0.