2021-03-23 / Click on image to enlarge
galacticsights
astrophotography
Leo Triplet
Technical Details
| Location | Zollikerberg, Switzerland |
| Camera | Nikon DSLR D810A |
| Telescope | TS ONTC 12" f/4 Carbon Newton |
| Optics | TS 2,5" Wynne Coma Corrector |
| Focal Length | 1140mm |
| Mount | iOptron CEM120 Center-Balanced Equatorial Mount |
| Autoguiding | MGEN-3 (Dithering) |
| Focuser | Moonlite |
| Planetarium Software | Stellarium | Image Session Control | APT - Astro Photography Tool v3.86, ASCOM Platform 6 |
| Lights | 66 x 120s (total 2h12'), ISO-1600, additional Biases, Flats, no Darks |
| Stacking Software | Pixinsight 1.8, Drizzle 2x |
| Image Processing | Pixinsight 1.8 |
The Leo Triplet is a small group of spiral galaxies in the northern constelleation Leo including M66, M65 and NGC 3628 the Hamburger Galaxy. The group is also called the M66 Group and lies at an approximate distance of 30 million light years from Earth. From Earth the galactic disks are seen at different angles. NGC 3628 appears edge-on, while M65 and M66 are inclined so that their spiral arms become visible. Gravitational interactions between galaxies in the group have also left telltale signs, including the warped and inflated disk of NGC 3628 and the drawn out spiral arms of M66.