Messier 66
| Messier 66 | |
|---|---|
 A colour-composite image of M66 | |
| Observation data (J2000 epoch) | |
| Constellation | Leo |
| Right ascension | 11h 20m 15.026s |
| Declination | +12° 59′ 28.64″ |
| Redshift | 0.002425±0.000010 (696.3±12.7 km/s) |
| Distance | 31 Mly (9.6 Mpc) |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 8.9 |
| Characteristics | |
| Type | SAB(s)b |
| Size | 85,200 ly (26.12 kpc) (estimated) |
| Apparent size (V) | 9.1′ × 4.2′ |
| Notable features | Galaxy in the Leo Triplet |
| Other designations | |
| Arp 16, NGC 3627, PGC 34695, UGC 6346 | |
Messier 66 or M66, also known as NGC 3627, is an intermediate spiral galaxy located around 31 million light years from Earth in the equatorial half of the Leo constellation. This galaxy is a member of the Leo Triplet (M66 group), a small group of galaxies that includes M65 and NGC 3628. M66 has a morphological classification of SABb, indicating that it has a spiral shape with a weak bar feature and loosely wound arms.
It was discovered by French astronomer Charles Messier on 1 March 1780, who described it as "very long and very faint". Messier 65 and Messier 66 are a common object for amateur astronomic observation, being separated by only 20′.