by Rex Parker, PhD director@princetonastronomers.org

No Formal AAAP Meeting April!  As the calendar would have it, the monthly meeting of AAAP in April falls a day after the solar eclipse.  With many of our members travelling for the eclipse at a location offering totality and clear skies, we have decided to not hold a meeting on April 8.  There is ongoing interest in connecting with members via Zoom to share experiences of the eclipse on April 8.  If that happens you will receive a link by e-mail.  I will be one of those travelling (to Indiana) for the eclipse.  Here’s hoping for clear skies along the path of totality!

With all the excitement about the solar eclipse, don’t forget that this is also galaxy observing season! Below is my recent image (taken March 29) of the western-most part of Markarian’s Chain, a large and famous group of galaxies in Virgo.  These galaxies are moving together through space, considered “near-by” at a distance of about 50 million light years. 

Markarian’s Chain of Galaxies in Virgo.  The 2 bright elliptical galaxies left and center are the Messier objects M84 and M86.  Astrophoto by RA Parker from central NJ using a 12.5” f/6.7 reflector on Paramount MX and ASI2400MC camera.