Leo Triplet

Leo Triplet
The Leo Triplet, with M65 (right top), M66 (right bottom) and NGC 3628 (left). North is to the left.
Observation data (Epoch J2000)
Constellation(s)	Leo
Right ascension	11h 17m
Declination	+13° 25′
Brightest member	M66
Number of galaxies	3-5
Other designations
M66 Group, Arp 317,LGG 231, NOGG P1 533, NOGG P2 543
See also: Galaxy groups, Galaxy clusters, List of galaxy clusters

The Leo Triplet (also known as the M66 Group) is a small group of galaxies about 35 million light-years away in the constellation Leo. This galaxy group consists of the spiral galaxies M65, M66, and NGC 3628.

The table below lists galaxies that have been consistently identified as group members in the Nearby Galaxies Catalog, the Lyons Groups of Galaxies (LGG) Catalog, and the group lists created from the Nearby Optical Galaxy sample of Giuricin et al.

Additionally, some of the references cited above indicate that one or two other nearby galaxies may be group members. NGC 3593 is frequently but not consistently identified as a member of this group.

The M96 Group is located physically near the Leo Triplet. These two groups may actually be separate parts of a much larger group, and some group identification algorithms actually identify the Leo Triplet as part of the M96 Group.

VST's view of the Leo Triplet and beyond. This image hints at the power of the ESO's VST and OmegaCAM for surveying the extragalactic Universe.

Leo Triplet amateur image

Coordinates: 11^h 17^m 00^s, +13° 25′ 00″