M65 and 66 with NGC 3628 – Spiral Galaxies in Leo

Telescope: Meade SN6 Comet Tracker at f/3.6, Orion Atlas EQ-G

Camera: Full Spectrum Modified Nikon D5300, Baader Mk III MPCC

Filter: Orion Imaging Skyglow Filter

Guide scope: Orion 50mm, ZWO ASI120MM mini

Exposure: 95x60sec, ISO 200, saved as RAW

Darks: Internal (Long Exposure Noise Reduction On)

Flats: 32×1/10sec, Tee shirt flats taken at dusk

Average Light Pollution: Red zone, Bortle 8, poor transparency, bright moonlight

Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.0 mag/arc-sec^2

Stacking: Mean with a 2-sigma clip.

White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic

Software: Backyard Nikon, Deep Sky Stacker, Nebulosity, Photoshop

M65 (right) and M66 (left) along with NGC 3628 (top) form a group known as the Leo Trio. These three actually form a gravitationally bound subgroup of the Leo I galaxy cluster. The warped shape of NGC 3628 is a result of interactions with M65 and 66. Visually, M65 and M66 are fairly easy to spot in modest sized telescopes, while NGC 3628 is much fainter due to the dust lying along the galactic plane. With a larger scope NGC 3628’s dust lane shows some wonderful detail.

The Leo Trio rises in the northeast a hour or so after sunset and is high overhead after midnight.