M66 in the same Leo Triplet frame as M65.
What It Is
M66 is a spiral galaxy in Leo and the brightest member of the Leo Triplet. Its spiral pattern is visibly distorted, likely by gravitational interactions with its neighboring galaxies M65 and NGC 3628.
History
Messier discovered M66 together with M65 in 1780. The pair sits in the same small-telescope field as NGC 3628, making the Leo Triplet a classic spring galaxy target.
Science Notes
- M66 lies about 35 million light-years away in Leo.
- It is part of the Leo Triplet with M65 and NGC 3628.
- NASA notes that M66's spiral arms are asymmetric and its core appears off center.
- The disturbed shape is evidence of gravitational interaction within the triplet.
- distance
- 35 million light-years
- apparentMagnitude
- 8.9
- constellation
- Leo
- objectType
- Spiral galaxy
- galaxyGroup
- Leo Triplet with M65 and NGC 3628
- bestObserved
- April from mid-northern latitudes
