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M65
Hubble · Messier 65 · ESA/Hubble & NASA

Messier 65

Galaxy in Leo · 35 million light-years

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TypeGalaxy
ConstellationLeo
Right ascension11h 18m 56s
Declination+13° 06′
Object distance35 million light-years
Apparent magnitude9.3
Apparent size7.6′ (arc-minutes)
Approx. true diameter77,376 light-years across
Also known asM65 · NGC 3623
Messier 65 is a galaxy (also catalogued as NGC 3623) in the constellation Leo — an island of billions of stars far beyond our own Milky Way. It was recorded by Charles Messier in his famous catalogue of 110 deep-sky objects. It spans roughly 7.6 arc-minutes on the sky. At about magnitude 9.3, it shows up well in a small backyard telescope.

Although it appears about 7.6′ wide on the sky, its real span is roughly 77,376 light-years — the difference is a measure of how far away it lies.

Observing Messier 65

Messier 65 lies in the constellation Leo and is best placed in the evening sky around March. Its maximum altitude above the horizon depends on your latitude. Lying near the celestial equator, it can be seen from both hemispheres. A small backyard telescope will show it; binoculars may hint at it under dark skies. Note that the listed magnitude is spread across the whole object — diffuse galaxies and nebulae are often harder to see than the number alone suggests, so dark, moonless skies help a great deal.

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Sources

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