M 95, M 96, M 105 Galaxy Group

clic for 42% size 1636 x 1098 (255 kB)

Clic here for 70% size 2726x1830 (600 kB)

 

About this Image

This wide field image shows a huge arrangement of galaxies in Leo, containing 3 Messier objects (M 95, M 96 (barred spirals at right), M 105 and NGC 3371 (elliptical, left), all members of the Leo I group in approx. 35-40 million light years distance.
Find more information about the Leo I group here.

The blue Sc spiral galaxy NGC 3389 (bottom left) plus a larger number of faint background galaxies are far more distant.
North is to the top left.

Find a closeup on M 95 here.
Find a closeup on M 96 here.
Find a closeup on M 105 here.
Find a widefield image of M 65, M 66, NGC 3628 an another part of the Leo I group here.

 


Technical Details
Optics

16" cassegrain in primefocus at f/3
Closeups on M95, M96 and M 105 are at f/10

Mount MK-100 GEM
Camera SBIG STL-11000M at -30C, internal filter wheel
Filters Astronomik LRGB + H-alpha
Date Mar 07-20, 2006
Location Wildon/Austria
Sky Conditions mag 5 sky, variable seeing, temperature -2 C
Exposure L:R:G:B = 120:60:40:80 minutes (10-minute sub-exposures);
L = each 120 min for closeups at f/10
Processing Image aquisition and calibration in Maxim 4.11, DDP in ImagesPlus; color balance, curves, L blending in Photoshop;