Messier 95 (NGC 3352) and Messier 96 (NGC 3368)

Messier 95 and Messier 96 from my backyard

In 2012 I imaged the neighbouring galaxies Messier 95 and Messier 96 with my DSLR setup from my backyard. Despite the limitations of suburban skies, both galaxies revealed their characteristic structures surprisingly well. M95 (NGC 3351) is a classic barred spiral galaxy located about 33 million light-years away in the constellation Leo. Its prominent stellar bar funnels gas toward the core, where a compact ring of vigorous star formation encircles the nucleus. This nuclear starburst ring—about 2,000 light-years across—is one of M95’s most defining features and becomes particularly striking in deep, high-resolution images.

Messier 96 (NGC 3368), only half a degree away in the sky, provides an interesting contrast. Also a barred spiral, M96 is noticeably more asymmetric, with a slightly off-center nucleus and patchy, irregular spiral arms. This asymmetry is thought to be the result of tidal interactions with other members of the Leo I Group, of which both galaxies are part. M96 is the brightest galaxy in the group and lies at roughly the same distance as M95. Its dusty lanes and uneven star-forming regions make it scientifically interesting, as they trace the ongoing gravitational influences within the group.

Imaging both galaxies together not only captured two beautiful spiral systems but also highlighted the dynamical complexity of the Leo I Group—an environment where subtle interactions shape the morphology and evolution of its member galaxies over cosmic timescales.

The data calibration and registration were carried out using DeepSkyStacker, while the final image processing was completed in PixInsight