In the constellation of Leo we can find thousands of galaxies. Among all those three are very well known among professional and amateur astronomers, the so-called Leo Triplet. The three components of this group are M65, M66 and NGC 3628, known as the Hamburger Galaxy. All three are large spiral galaxies even though we are seeing them from different angles to our line of sight. A fourth spiral galaxy lies quite close to this famous trio, usually underseen in many of the telescopic views, it’s NGC 3593.
Gravitational interactions between galaxies in the group have changed the galaxies original morphology, being NGC 3628 tidal’s tail the most prominent effect of it. But we can also distinguish an inflated disk of NGC 3628 and the drawn out spiral arms of M66. Those effects are better seen on deep images as the one shown above.
I captured this image last week (March 2024) from home with the use of a fast Newtonian telescope that allowed me not only to show the NGC 3628 tidal’s tail but also the faint stream of stars around M66 that goes in the opposite direction of NGC 3628. Some interesting gravitational distorsions are going on there.
The only image I’ve seen this other faint stream of stars was captured by Prashant Ranganath last year 2023: https://www.astrobin.com/full/vf8inp/0/
To capture this image I pointed my newtonian telescope towards this area of the northern spring sky for almost 20 hours. Being a fast f/2.8 telescope allowed me to gather enough data not only to show NGC 3628 tidal’s tail, but to be able to see another faint stream of stars of M66.
The full image covers an area of 2º40′ x 2º01′ at a resolution of 2.13″/pixel.
Thanks for your time on this website.
Image Details
Lights:
65 x 120″ (2h10′)
207 x 300″ (17h15′)
Calibrated with darks, flats, dark-flats.
Total exposure: 19h25’h
Average Moon phase at 11%
Image resolution: 2.13”/pixel
FOV (full image): 2º40′ x 2º01′
Equipment
Sharpstar 13028HNT + ASI2600MC + L-Quad + ZWO EFW 5pos + ZWO EAF
ZWO AM5 mount
ASI AIR Plus
Guiding with ASI120MM and ZWO Mini Guide Scope
Software
ASI Air software, APP, PIX, LR, PS.
Aleix Roig, March 2024
Prades (Tarragona, Catalonia – Spain).