Messier 84 (M84), also designated as NGC 4374, lies in the springtime sky amongst Virgo’s plethora of viewable galaxies. Unfortunately, as with many galaxies, M84 can be challenging to find from light-polluted suburbs. In fact, the galaxy looks like a faint gray circular smudge when I view it through my backyard 8-inch SCT scope. At first glance, I imagined it as a small cotton ball floating in the firmament; furthermore, based on my experience, it will take at least a small scope, patience, and averted vision to locate it. Still, the work is worth it.
Astronomers will find Messier 84 among the galaxies in the popular Virgo Cluster. Also, within the cluster is the beautiful stretch of galaxies called Markarian’s Chain. M84 is a proud member of these collections of galaxies. Visual astronomers appreciate the chain because it’s possible to see with one eyepiece, while astrophotographers cannot pass on its attractiveness.
Like nearby Messier 85, M84 has properties between an elliptical and lenticular galaxy, which means it has a large disc (like a spiral galaxy) but doesn’t have spiral arms (like the spiral arms in our Milky Way). Astronomers believe that a supermassive black hole lies at the core. And in recent history, astronomers witnessed two supernovas in the galaxy: one in 1957 and the other in 1991. 1
The astronomer Charles Messier first spotted and recorded M84 on March 18, 1781. Full description below.
My Observations
| Date | May 21, 2022 |
| Time | 11:05 p.m. |
| Location | Seattle, WA |
| Magnification | 127x |
| Scope | Meade 8″ SCT |
| Eyepiece | 16mm |
| Seeing | Above Average |
| Transparency | Average |
I’ve been walking through the corridor of Markarian’s Chain on this wonderful night. Virgo doesn’t always clear the high cedars and Douglas Firs to my east in the cloudy spring. But, this evening, everything is falling together well! Virgo is well-framed amongst the firmament and the skies are nicely transparent. As with several galaxies I’ve been observing in Markarian’s chain, M84 is like a faint puff of smoke. This one, in particular, reminds me of a cotton ball. Isn’t it astounding—truly—how something so aloft in the night sky, resembling a lone cotton ball, is yet one of 2,000 galaxies in the “Virgo sea.”
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Best Viewing | Spring |
| Visual Magnitude | +9.0 |
| Absolute Magnitude | -22.5 |
| Distance from Earth | 60 million light yrs |
| Diameter | 143,000 ly |
| Apparent Size | 7.4 x 6.4 arcmin |
| Milky Way Location | NA |
| My Viewing Grade | C+ |
| Designations | M84, NGC 4374, UGC 7494, Markarian’s Chain |
Historical Observations
Charles Messier first recorded Messier 84 on March 18, 1781, writing:
“Nebula without star, in Virgo; the center it is a bit brilliant, surrounded with a slight nebulosity” 2
Also, William Herschel observed the galaxy in 1811, and his son John Herschel examined it years later on the evening of May 4, 1829, while sweeping the skies.
Sources and Notes
Banner photo of M84: Produced by ESA/HUBBLE and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Details here.
Markarian’s Chain photo: Made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication by Nielander
1 Garner, Rob. “Messier 84.” NASA, NASA, 6 Oct. 2017, https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2017/messier-84.
2 Frommert, Hartmut, and Guy McArthur. Messier 84, http://www.messier.seds.org/Mdes/dm084.html.
Sketch by Wayne McGraw
The Garden Astronomer 