M65, M66, NGC3628: Leo Triplets

M65, M66, NGC3628: Leo Triplets

The coincidental outcome of last night’s session (main aim was getting Victoria’s mount talking by bluetooth [tick] & plate solving [tick]) -Two motorways and a starship rejected by the federation… M65, M66 & NGC3628: The Leo Triplets.

3x galaxies all at a different angle of tilt to us – NGC3628, top right, is a spiral galaxy as seen edge on (similar to our view of our own Milky Way, but we see it from within). M65 is the lowest one in the frame, leaving M66 furthest left. The frame covers a 500,000 light year diameter, and is 30×10^6 light years away from us.

An absolute bugger to capture with a full-spectrum camera full of pubes that hoovers in Wakefield’s light pollution, hence this is a grayscale image (otherwise the entire thing is tinted in an unremovable orange). Only an hour of data – really needs another 2 at least, but fun getting it!

M65, M66, NGC3628: Leo Triplets
M65, M66, NGC3628: Leo Triplets