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The Leo triplet of galaxies M65 M66 NGC3628


NGC4565 the Needle galaxy

Object name
The Leo triplet of galaxies M65 M66 NGC3628

Constellation: Leo
Distance:35 million light years

Imaged by Jean-Yves Beninger from Alqueva Dark Sky, Portugal
On 26 March 2025

Equipment:
Astro-Physics Mach1
Astro-Physics AP130 Starfire EDF with 2.7" field flattener 67PF562, 819mm
Camera Zwo ASI 2600MM pixel size 3.76µ
Filters L, R, G, B

LRGB image

Description:

The Leo Triplet is a small group of three interacting spiral galaxies located about 35 million light-years away in the constellation Leo. The group includes:

M65 (NGC 3623) – Top right - a slightly warped spiral galaxy with a bright central bulge.
M66 (NGC 3627) – Bottom right - a larger, asymmetric spiral showing signs of tidal interaction.
NGC 3628 – also called the Hamburger Galaxy, it appears edge-on with a thick dust lane cutting across its disk.

These galaxies are gravitationally bound and have likely influenced each other’s structure through close encounters.