Markarian

Markarian is a surname of Armenian origin. In astronomy, the name is attached to several related concepts named after the astronomer Benjamin Markarian, who led early surveys for ultraviolet-excess galaxies. These concepts include the Markarian catalog, the set of Markarian galaxies, and Markarian’s Chain in the Virgo Cluster.

Markarian galaxies refer to a class of galaxies identified by their strong ultraviolet emission relative to their optical light, as revealed in ultraviolet-excess surveys conducted under Markarian’s direction. The ultraviolet-bright nature of these galaxies often indicates intense star formation or the presence of an active galactic nucleus. The Markarian catalog lists many such objects and has been widely used to study galactic activity, star formation, and galaxy evolution.

Markarian’s Chain is a prominent curved arrangement of galaxies within the Virgo Cluster. Named after the same astronomer, the chain is a well-known feature used in observational astronomy to illustrate galaxy clustering and interactions in a nearby cluster environment.

The surname Markarian may also refer to other individuals, but in astronomy it most commonly denotes Benjamin Markarian’s work on ultraviolet-bright galaxies and related celestial collections. The term appears in scientific literature, educational materials, and historical accounts of extragalactic ultraviolet studies.