Galaxy Cluster in Leo
This distant galaxy cluster is known for its unusually large number of spiral galaxies. The Leo Cluster is about 300 million light years away. Despite this great distance, a few of the brightest galaxies can be seen with medium to large amateur telescopes. This image shows the central region of the Leo Cluster; the outer extremities spread out over an area of sky several times larger than the field of view shown here.
The bright elliptical galaxy in the center of this image is NGC 3842. To its right is a 13th magnitude edge-on spiral galaxy, PGC 36466.
NGC 3842:
| Magnitude | 11.9 |
| Apparent Size | 2.1' x 1.5' |
| Distance (light yrs) | 300 million |
| Right Ascension | 11:44.0 |
| Declination | +19 57 |
| Field of View | 29' x 22' |
Image details: Exposure times of 273 minutes luminance and 45 minutes each of red, green, and blue, taken with an SBIG STF-8300M imager and a 14" Meade LX850 telescope at f/6.
April 2020