The Leo Triplet, also called the M66 Group, is a small group of spiral galaxies located in the Leo constellation at approximately 35 million light-years. It’s composed of three major spiral galaxies: M65, M66 and NGC 3628 (Hamburger Galaxy). NGC 3628 has a 300,000 light-year long tidal tail. This amazing stream of stars has been drawn out of the galaxy by gravitational tides during past interactions with neighbouring galaxies.
This image has been possible thanks to the Prades (Tarragona) dark sky. The NGC 3628’s tidal tail is a faint structure that needs quite deep integration times to show up some detail.
This image is the first light of my new ASI294MM Pro.
Image Details
L: 250×120″
RGB: 40×120″ each channel
All images at 120Gain -15ºC bin2
Calibrated with 50 flats, 50 darks, 50 bias
Total exposure: 12h20’
Average darkness: 21 mag/arcsec2
Image resolution: 2.12”/pixel
Equipment
FSQ85ED telescope
Mesu200 mount
ASI294MM Pro camera with ZWO EFW 8 pos
Guiding with ASI174MC and ZWO OAG
Baader filters
Software
SGP, PHD2, APP, PIX.
Aleix Roig – Prades, Tarragona (Catalonia, Spain), April 2021.
This image has been selected as a top pick image on Astrobin: