Spiral Galaxy Messier 96 (M96) in Leo
Taken by Tom Wildoner on March 9, 2026 @
Weatherly, PA, USA
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Camera Used: Unavailable Unavailable
Exposure Time: Unavailable
Aperture: Unavailable
ISO: Unavailable
Date Taken: 2026:03:10 08:45:57
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Details:
Messier 96 (also known as NGC 3368) is an elegant intermediate spiral galaxy located approximately 35 million light-years away in the constellation Leo. As the brightest member of the Leo I Group, it stands out due to its striking structural asymmetry; its core is noticeably displaced from the center, and its spiral arms are unevenly developed. This "lopsided" appearance is likely the result of past gravitational tugs-of-war with its nearby galactic neighbors, M95 and M105. Spanning about 100,000 light-years—roughly the size of our own Milky Way—M96 contains a potent mix of old, yellow stars in its glowing bulge and brilliant clusters of young, blue stars tucked within its dust-choked arms.
🔭 Technical Details:
Telescope: Meade 12” LX-90 SCT with Antares Focal Reducer
Camera: ZWO ASI071MC (cooled to -10°F) BIN2
Mount: Celestron CGX-L pier mounted
Capture: 112m total exposure (60s subs) via ASIAir Pro
Location: The Dark Side Observatory (W59), Weatherly, PA (Bortle 4)
Processing: PixInsight & DeepSkyStacker
Image Date: March 9, 2026.
Photographer's website:
https://www.thedarksideobservatory.com
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