How to photograph the Leo Triplet (M65, M66 & NGC 3628)
Three spiral galaxies in one frame, best in spring.
Photo byChuck Ayoub(CC0)
When to shoot it from your location
About the Leo Triplet
The Leo Triplet packs two bright spirals and the edge-on “Hamburger” galaxy into less than a degree. A 400-800mm telescope frames them together.
Gear and framing
The Leo Triplet spans about 50′ of sky. It frames best with:
- Small refractor (250-600mm)
- Long focal length (800mm and up)
You can see how other people have built their rigs on RigDesigner, including my Sony a6700 and 60mm refractor rig.
Filters
This is a broadband target, which means its light is mostly starlight across the whole spectrum. Shoot it with no filter or a UV/IR cut filter. A broadband light pollution filter can help a little in the suburbs. Dual-band and narrowband filters block most of its light, so leave them off. Plan it for a moonless night at a dark site.
Tips
- Spring is galaxy season, so plan it around the new Moon from March to May.
Processing
Stack your light frames with darks and flats, then remove the background gradient before stretching. AstroBake does all of this for you. Point it at your folders of raw frames, then adjust the result with live sliders.