Spiral galaxy M66 in Leo

by: Anglo-Australian Observatory/David Malin Images/Novapix
Reference: a-gax36-27002
Date: 2006-09-15

M66 is a dusty spiral galaxy, and is a member of the same compact group of galaxies as M65 and NGC 3628. The striking symmetry of M65 is lacking, and the central bulge, though large, is less well defined. The spiral arms are very easy to see, but seem distorted and displaced above the plane of the galaxy, probably a result of interactions with its neighbours. Much more dust is visible here as well as a few pink nebulae, signs of star formation, near the end of one of the arms.

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