|
|
| NGC 3628, a spiral galaxy. Image above cropped and resized from the original. Click in the above image for the full size full resolution image. |
|
What a beautiful edge on galaxy! Unnamed, (except by an NGC number - in the New General Star Catalog) this galaxy sits less than one degree above it's well known neighbors M65 and M66. It is often included with those two as part of a group known as the Leo Triplet. All three lie in the upper hind leg of the constellation of Leo 12-13 degrees below the celestial equator. They are about 35 million light years away from us, but only a few hundred thousand light years away from each other, close enough to be gravitationally affecting and distorting the appearances of each other. To the right of the center of this galaxy you can see where the lower outer edge is being pulled apart and down by the gravitational pull of its neighbors. NGC 3628 is about as big as our Milky Way and is probably a spiral galaxy much like our own. Usually the pictures you see of galaxies are more face on, and you don't see the dust and debris that make up a major part of any galaxy's mass. Here you can see just how much dusty non glowing material there is. If you look toward the center of our galaxy, toward the constellation of Sagittarius, you will see where a similar band dust and debris splits the Milky Way there too. |
|
10" F6.3 SCT telescope,
Modified (sensor chip's filter removed) Canon 300D at Prime focus |