SBIG ST-4000XCM
20x15 Minutes
Imager Temp -20C
Celestron 9.25 Reduced 0.63
50% Crop
Link to Larger JPEG

Messier 96 (NGC 3368) lies about 41 million light years away in the constellation Leo. It is the brightest member of the Leo I or M96 Group, and is one of may groups contained in the Virgo Supercluster.

The central bright core or M96 is about 66,000 light years across and the entire galaxy, including faint extensions spans 100,000 light years.

March 16, 2010