Spiral galaxy

M65 - The Leo Triplet

The Leo Triplet

What It Is

M65 is a spiral galaxy in Leo, seen at an angle that shows its bright central region and dust-laced disk. It belongs to the Leo Triplet along with M66 and NGC 3628.

History

Messier added M65 to his catalog after discovering it with M66 in 1780. Its place in the Leo Triplet makes it a useful amateur target: several galaxies can be compared in one field of view.

Science Notes

M65 lies roughly 35 million light-years away in the constellation Leo.
It shares the Leo Triplet with M66 and NGC 3628.
NASA's Hubble view of M65 combines visible and infrared exposures of the galaxy's center.
Its apparent magnitude of 10.3 makes it a small-telescope target under dark skies rather than a naked-eye object.

distance: 35 million light-years
apparentMagnitude: 10.3
constellation: Leo
objectType: Spiral galaxy
galaxyGroup: Leo Triplet with M66 and NGC 3628
bestObserved: April from mid-northern latitudes

Capture

Captured: Mar 15, 2026, 9:42 AM
Exposure: 95 x 10 sec (16 min)
Coordinates: RA 169.904160 deg, Dec 12.996667 deg
Observing Site: 33.809400 deg, -86.508100 deg
Instrument: S30 Pro_dc67acc8 / imx585
Optics: 160.00 mm, f/5.3
Filter: IRCUT
Gain: 200