The Triplet in Leo ... Messier 65 & 66
with NGC 3628
(Click on Picture for larger view)


Added April2, 2019 ...
The Leo Triplet or "Triplet" in Leo ...
These 3 galaxies comprise of NGC 3628 (left), M66 (bottom right), and M65 (top right). All three are large spiral galaxies and are found in the vicinity of the constellation of Leo the Lion. NGC3628 is also known as the "Hamburger" Galaxy due to its shape, which is probably caused due to tidal forces from the other two galaxies. All 3 galaxies are about 35 million light-years from us. I took this image on the night of April 2, 2019, with a total image exposure time of 2hr 9mn. The Leo Triplet is high overhead at midnight in early April.


The Techy Stuff ... For those who want to know ...
Telescope: ED80T CF Triplet Apochromatic Refractor f/6
Mount: Celestron CGX
Mount setting: Celestron PWI software
Polar Alignment: QHY Pole Master
Guiding: Orion StarShoot AutoGuider Pro & 60mm Scope
Guiding Software: PHD2 ... (RMS Error: 0.39 px)
Camera: Canon T7i (Modified)
Filter: None
Settings: ISO 800 at 180-second exposure
Total sub-frames used: 43
25 Dark & Bias frames ea
Capture Software: Backyard EOS
Stacked in Deep Sky Stacker at 2X Drizzle
Post processing in PixInsight & Photoshop CC
Bortle Light Pollution zone: 4.5 (Barely can see the Milky Way)
Sky Condition: 9.5 [scale of 0 (cloudy) to 10 (clear)]
No Lunar interference
Temperature: 49°- 45°F
Location: My Backyard, Savannah, GA




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