The Leo Triplett (M66 group)

This small group of galaxies consists of the Messier objects

M65 (NGC 3623) and

M66 (NGC 3627) as well as the

edge-on spiral NGC 3628.

Lying at a distance of some 35 million light years, it is probably

physically related to the M96 group.

The slightly more distant S0 or “early” Sa galaxy NGC 3593 is probably

another member of the group, not in out image.

Our image was obtained by the German amateur Michael Weiland of the

Interessengemeinschaft Astronomie at the University of Constance.

• More images of the

  Interessengemeinschaft Astronomie

• More images of M65 and M66, sometimes

  including NGC 3628 (the whole Leo Triplett)

  The table below lists some data for the M66 group members:

  
  

  Name	RA(h:m)	Dec(d:m)	type	m_v	dim	RV
  NGC 3593	11:14.6	+12:49	Sb	11.0	5.8×2.5	510
  M65	11:18.9	+13:05	Sb/Sa	9.34	10.0×3.3	692
  M66	11:20.2	+12:59	Sb+	9.04	8.7×4.4	623
  NGC 3628	11:20.3	+13:36	Sb	9.51	14.8×3.6	734

  Key: Name: Some catalog number or name; RA/Dec: Position 2000.0;

  type: Hubble type; m_v: apparent visual magnitude; dim: dimension in

  arc minutes; RV: radial velocity

  (all data from the Sky Catalog 2000 when available).

  
  

  ---

  Hartmut Frommert

  ([email protected])

  Christine Kronberg

  ([email protected])

  

  

  

  

  

  Last Modification: 18 Apr 1998, 21:00 MEST