Leo Triplet (M66 group)

This small group of galaxies consists of the Messier objects M65 (NGC3623), lower right, and M66 (NGC3627), lower left, along with the edge-on spiral galaxy NGC3628, upper left. These three galaxies form a rather attractive triplet at the heart of the M66 group, which includes a number of other galaxies which are "out of shot". The Leo Triplet also appears in Arp's Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies. At a distance of 35 million light-years, maybe a little further, the M66 group may be related to M96 (NGC3368) and the Leo I galaxy group. This approximately true-color picture was created from images taken in June 1995 using BVR colors, at the Burrell Schmidt telescope of Case Western Reserve University's Warner and Swasey Observatory located on Kitt Peak, near Tucson, Arizona, during the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program operated at the Kitt Peak National Observatory and supported by the National Science Foundation. Image size 40.6x50.8 arc minutes.

Credit:

REU program/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/

About the Image

Id:noao-m65a66
Type:Observation
Release date:June 30, 2020, 9:33 p.m.
Size:2400 x 3000 px

About the Object

Name:M65, M66, M96, NGC 3368, NGC 3623, NGC 3627
Constellation:Leo
Category:Galaxies

Image Formats

Large JPEGLarge JPEG
2.6 MB
Screensize JPEGScreensize JPEG
348.5 KB

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Coordinates

ObjectValue
Position (RA):11 19 55.30
Position (Dec):13° 25' 15.30"
Field of view:40.61 x 50.76 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 2.0° left of vertical


Colors & filters

BandTele-scope
Optical
B
Burrell Schmidt Telescope
Optical
V
Burrell Schmidt Telescope
Optical
R
WIYN 0.9-meter Telescope