NGC 3226, Leo
NGC 3226 and 3227 are an interacting pair of galaxies. 3226 is the smaller of the two.  Tidal forces caused by the interaction have distorted the faint spiral arms of NGC 3227. Several other faint galaxies are evident in the lower right of the image. PGC30397 is the brighter of the three at mag 15.4, just to the left is Mac 1022+1947 at mag 15.5 and two the right, Mac 1022+1948 at mag 16.  Also evident is a unnamed 16.5 mag edge on galaxy lower left and other fainter galaxies throughout the image.


Image Details

Optics      8" LX200 SCT f6.3
Mount              LX200 fork mount
Camera
 Starlight Xpress SXV-H9
Filter
 Astronomik Type 2C
Date
 22 Mar 04
Location  
 My Backyard Observatory in Ocean Springs, MS, Limiting 4.5   
Exposure
 120:30:30:30 RGB binned 2x2
Notes