Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Leo (Leo)  ·  Contains:  M 65  ·  M 66  ·  NGC 3623  ·  NGC 3627  ·  NGC 3628
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The Leo Triplet, David Wood (SDAA TARO)
The Leo Triplet
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The Leo Triplet

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The Leo Triplet, David Wood (SDAA TARO)
The Leo Triplet
Powered byPixInsight

The Leo Triplet

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Description

The Leo Triplet (also known as the M66 Group) is a small group of galaxies about 35 million light-years away in the constellation Leo. This galaxy group consists of the spiral galaxies M65, M66, and NGC 3628.The three galaxies are relatively close to each other in space, and their gravitational interaction has caused them to develop some unusual features. For example, M66 has a distorted spiral structure, and NGC 3628 appears to be interacting with both M65 and M66.
  • M65 (NGC 3623): M65 is a barred spiral galaxy with a diameter of about 100,000 light-years. It has a bright central bulge and two prominent spiral arms. M65 is also known for its active galactic nucleus, which is powered by a supermassive black hole.
  • M66 (NGC 3627): M66 is a spiral galaxy with a diameter of about 150,000 light-years. It has a distorted spiral structure, with one spiral arm appearing to be more prominent than the other. M66 is also known for its high rate of star formation.
  • NGC 3628 (The Hamburger Galaxy): NGC 3628 is an edge-on spiral galaxy with a diameter of about 200,000 light-years. It is nicknamed the Hamburger Galaxy because of its distinctive appearance, with a bright central bulge and two dark dust lanes that resemble hamburger buns.

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The Leo Triplet, David Wood (SDAA TARO)

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