Object Analysis

The Leo Triplet (also known as the M66 Group) is a small group of galaxies in the constellation Leo. The group consists of the spiral galaxies M65, M66, and NGC 3628 (the Hamburger Galaxy). All three are large spirals, but they look different because they are tilted at different angles to our line of sight.

NGC 3628 is seen perfectly edge-on, revealing a broad band of obscuring dust. M65 and M66 are tilted enough to show off their spiral structure. Gravitational interactions between the three have warped the spiral arms of M66 and drawn out a faint tidal tail from NGC 3628.

Located about 35 million light-years away, this photogenic trio fits within a single field of view in many telescopes, offering a striking 3D perspective on galactic orientation.