Waid Observatory

Object: M105, NGC3384, NGC3389
Date: 03/08/2004           Location: Margate, FL
Telescope:   -   LX200GPS-12U   F:6.3  -   Camera: ST-10XME/AO7
Exposure: L = 6 X 5 min.   -   Filter: None
Click on the image to view at higher resolution.

 

M105, NGC3384, NGC3389 in Leo

M105, NGC3384, NGC3389 1

This interesting group of galaxies consisting of M105 to the left, NGC3384 in the lower middle, and NGC3389 in the upper right is located in the constellation Leo. The best known of these galaxies is M105.  M105 is classed as a large elliptical galaxy.  It and NGC3384, also an elliptical galaxy, are part of the Leo 1 group of galaxies.  They are approximately 38 million light years from the Earth and are receding from us at a velocity of about 750 km/sec.  NGC3389, the spiral galaxy to the upper right, is considered a background galaxy and not a part of the Leo 1 group.  Its recession velocity is about 1,100 km/sec. Investigations of M105 using data from the Hubble Space Telescope indicate that a massive black hole equal to approximately the mass of 50 million of our Suns lies at its center.

1http://www.seds.org/messier/m/m105.html

 
Copyright Donald P. Waid