INCLUDING: M84 (NGC 4374), M86 (NGC 4406),NGC 4387, NGC 4402, NGC 4388, NGC 4407, NGC 4425, NGC 4438, NGC 4435

Canon XSi, modded, 24 x 2 min., ISO 800
Meade LXD75-SN10 OTA, Baader MPCC, Astronomik CLS-CCD,
EQ6 mount, guided w/PHD and EQMOD

The Virgo Cluster of Galaxies is located about 70 million light years from Earth, and comprises several thousand galaxies. This part of the Cluster (along with some galaxies superimposed on the image due to angle of view from Earth) is named after an Armenian astronomer in the 1970s.

The cluster is part of our local supercluster of galaxies which includes members of our local group - the Milky Way, M31, M32, M110, M33 and others - currently receding from the Virgo Cluster at a rate of about 1000 km/second. Despite the great distance, scientists expect our local group and the Virgo group to eventually accelerate towards each other, due to gravitational attraction between the two groups.

In this image, I have sought to give a view different than usual - with a higher resolution of the participating galaxies, and a colorful star field in the background.