M66

M66 is a spiral galaxy in Leo which lies about 35 million light years from Earth. Although possessing a large central bulge, the galaxy has deformed spiral arms, likely as a result of encounters with its neighbors, M65 and NGC 3628, which together with M66 are called the Leo Triplett because they are so close together in space. We have seen four supernovae in M66, in 1973, 1989, 1997, and 2009.

Image taken Feb. 11, 2013, with the C-14 operating at F:3.5 and the ST-8 binned 2 X 2. Exposure was 300 seconds. The camera was not cooled because the temperature in the dome was about 25 degrees F. It was also quite windy and I became a bit uncomfortable with the cold.