M65, M66, NGC3628: Leo Triplet

Imaged on 1/20/07

Scope: Takahashi FSQ106N
Mount: Losmandy G-11
Camera/Autoguider: SXV-H9c
Exposures: 18 x 5min
Site: Anza Borrego
Temp: 34 degrees; calm; good seeing

Located 30 million LY away, these galaxies form a dynamically bound interacting system. M65 and M66 are 160,000 ly apart, while NGC3628 is more than 300,000 away from its other two members. NGC3628 (left) came within 80,000 ly of M66 (right) 800 million years ago.