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M84
lenticular galaxy in Virgo
M84 is a lenticular galaxy in the heart of the Virgo Cluster, forming part of Markarian's Chain with its neighbor M86. Many more galaxies lie in the same frame, which makes this field a great target for a mid-width lens.
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// Key facts
- Catalog
- M84
- Type
- lenticular galaxy
- Constellation
- Virgo
- Size
- 5′ across
- Brightness
- Magnitude 9.1
- Distance
- about 60 million light-years
- Peak month (any location)
- Mar
- Typical prime months
- Jan to Jun
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Filter
- No filter (broadband); a light-pollution filter is optional
Pick a saved location or share your device location. Your coordinates are used only to calculate tonight and are not stored. To save locations, use the planner.
How to image M84
- M84 and M86 are only about 17 arcminutes apart, so 600 to 1,000 mm frames both with many other galaxies.
- Two interacting galaxies, NGC 4435 and 4438, nearby are known as the Eyes.
- Spring evenings are best from northern sites.
Framing: what focal length?
M84 is small, so a "60% of the frame" focal length would be impractical. Here is how much of an APS-C frame it covers at common long focal lengths; expect to crop.
| Focal length | Share of the frame width |
|---|---|
| 1,000 mm | about 6% |
| 2,000 mm | about 12% |
| 3,000 mm | about 19% |
How high does it climb from your latitude?
The highest point M84 reaches in the sky. Above about 60° is excellent, 30° to 60° is workable, and under 30° you are looking through a lot of air.
| Latitude | Highest point | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 55°N (Scotland, Alaska) | 48° | Workable |
| 45°N (Minneapolis, Milan) | 58° | Workable |
| 35°N (Los Angeles, Tokyo) | 68° | High in the sky |
| 25°N (Miami, Cairo) | 78° | High in the sky |
| 35°S (Sydney, Santiago) | 42° | Workable |
Also worth imaging
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