Messier 96 (M 96)

Introduction | Map | My Best Own Photos | My Own Observations | References || Appendix: My Own Photos

On this page I collect my observations of the spiral galaxy M 96 (NGC 3368) in the constellation Leo.

Introduction

The galaxy M 96 in the constellation Leo is part of a galaxy group, the M 96 group, to which also M 105, M 5, NGC 3384, NGC 3377 and further galaxies (NGC 3299, NGC 3412, NGC 3489) belong. The M 96 group forms, together with the M 66 group (Leo Triplet, Arp 317; consists of M 65, M 66, and NGC 3628) the Leo I group.

M 96 is a spiral galaxy, which forms a pair with M 95, but both are too far away (40') to be seen together in the eVscope. In the Vespera (Pro), you can observe them together without any problems, and also include M 105.

At the end of one of M 96’s spiral arms, the non-member galaxy 2MFGC 8391 appears edge-on; it can actually be made out in an eVscope image and possibly also in a Vespera Pro image:

eVscope: M 96 with 2MFGC 8391 (marked), Mar 8, 2021, section, processed		eVscope: M 96 with 2MFGC 8391 (marked), Mar 8, 2021, section, processed alternatively		Vespera Pro: M 96 with 2MFGC 8391 (marked), Feb 19, 2025 - 30 min, section, processed and denoised (TP)

According to most sources on the Internet, the galaxy 2MFGC 8391 is between 700 and 800 million light years away (one source cites four times the distance to M 96, or 160 million light years), making it likely the most distant object I have photographed to date. For a Hubble image of M 96 featuring the galaxy, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messier_96. This photo shows the galaxy so clearly that I cannot even imagine it being that far away.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

The galaxy IC 643 (on some photos) is lenticular and more than 300 million light years away. The barred spiral galaxy (on one photo) IC 648 is even 474 million light years away.

Map

The galaxy M 96 in the constellation Leo as well as the galaxies M 95, M 105, and the pair M 65/M 66 (Image Courtesy of SkySafari Astronomy, www.simulationcurriculum.com)

My Best Own Photos

ZWO ASI224 at Omegon PS 72/432

M 96 - Apr 8, 2021 - 30 frames, 10 s, gain 300, processed		M 96 - Apr 13, 2021 - 12 frames, 10 s, gain 300, processed

eVscope

M 96 - Mar 22, 2020 (4 min		M 96 - Mar 22, 2020 (5 min)		M 96 - Mar 22, 2020 (29 min)
M 96 - Mar 22, 2020, photo above processed		M 96 - Mar 22, 2020, photo above processed		M 96 - Mar 22, 2020, photo above processed
M 96 - Mar 7, 2021		M 96 - Mar 8, 2021		M 96 - Mar 8, 2021
M 96 - Mar 7, 2021, photo above processed		M 96 - Mar 8, 2021, photo above processed		M 96 - Mar 8, 2021, photo above processed

Vespera

M 95, M 96, M 105 and more, May 31, 2023 - mosaic, processed, large, 2310s		Evaluation with nova.astrometry.net

Small galaxies in the mosaic: IC 643, NGC 3345, NGC 3384, NGC 3389 (see evaluation)

Vespera Pro

M 95, M 96, M 105, and more, May 10, 2024 - mosaic, 2000p, 2940s		M 95, M 96, M 105, and more, May 10, 2024 - mosaic, processed, 2000p, 2940s
Observed sky region shown in Singularity		Evaluation with nova.astrometry.net
Small galaxies in the mosaic: IC 643, IC 648, NGC 3345, NGC 3384, NGC 3389, NGC 3412, NGC 3419, NGC 3367, NGC 3377, NGC 3357, NGC 3391, NGC 3338 (see evaluation)
M 95, M 96, M 105, and more, Feb 19, 2025 - 2000p, 30 min		M 95, M 96, M 105, and more, Feb 19, 2025 - 2000p, 30 min, processed
M 95, M 96, M 105, and more, Feb 19, 2025 - 2000p, 30 min, TIFF processed and denoised (PAI)		Evaluation with nova.astrometry.net
Small galaxies: IC 643,NGC 3345, NGC 3384, NGC 3389 (see evaluation)

My Own Observations

Observations Spring 2017

• April 29, 2017 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: Explorer 150PDS on GoTo mount): M 96 as well as M 65 and M 66 accessed, weak glows, M 96 probably the weakest

Observations February to May 2020

• February 24, 2020 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: eVscope): M 96 photographed (borderline case... close to house)
• March 13 and 22, 2020 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: eVscope): M 96 photographed; stayed very long in Enhanced Vision mode (up to 29 minutes) on March 23.
• April 22 and 23, 2020 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: eVscope): M 96 photographed (no overlay, rectangular format)
• April 23, 2020 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: C8): M 96 observed, faint (comparison with eVscope)
• May 16, 2020 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: eVscope): M 96 photographed (n.o., r.f.)

Observations March/April 2021

• March 7, 2021 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: eVscope): M 96 photographed (n.o., r.f.), eVscope defocused, photos discarded
• March 8, 2021 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: eVscope): M 96 photographed (n.o., r.f.), exposed manually
• April 8, 2021 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: PS72 on AZ-GTi, ASI224): M 96 photographed (10 seconds); stars a little bloated
• April 13, 2021 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: PS72 on AZ-GTi, ASI224): M 96 photographed (10 seconds); stars a little bloated

Observations March/April 2022

• March 20, 2022 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: eVscope): M 96 photographed (app version 1.5)
• April 17, 2022 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: eVscope): M 95 and 96 photographed together (app version 1.5)

Observations May 2023

• May 30, 2023 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: Vespera): M 96 photographed together with the two galaxies M 105 and M 95 and many small galaxies (large mosaic)
• Mai 31, 2023 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: Vespera): M 96 photographed together with the two galaxies M 105 and M 95 and three small galaxies (medium-size mosaic)

Observations May 2024

• May 10, 2024 (Mühlhausen/Kraichgau: Vespera Pro): M 96 photographed together with the two galaxies M 105 and M 95 and many small galaxies (mosaic)

Observations February 2025

• February 19, 2025 (Erkerode: Vespera Pro): M 96 photographed together with the two galaxies M 105 and M 95 and many small galaxies (30 min)

References

• Messier Catalogue - Messier 96: messier.seds.org/m/m096.html
• Messier 96 (Wikipedia): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messier_96
• M96 Group (Wikipedia): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M96_Group

On this Site

• Sky-Watcher Heritage 100P Information (4" Dobson)
• Sky-Watcher Explorer 150PDS Information (6" Newton)
• Sky-Watcher Skymax-102 OTA Information (4" Maksutov-Cassegrain)
• Celestron C8 OTA Information (8" Schmidt-Cassegrain)
• Omegon Photography Scope 72/432 ED OTA Information (2.8" Refractor)
• Unistellar eVscope Information
• Unistellar eVscope 2 Information
• Vaonis Vespera - Information
• Vaonis Vespera Pro - Information
• Sky-Watcher AZ-GTi AZ GoTo Mount Information
• Sky-Watcher Star Discovery AZ GoTo Mount Information
• Sky-Watcher AZ4 Mount Information
• ZWO ASI224 Color Camera - Information

Appendix: My Own Photos

ZWO ASI224 at Omegon PS 72/432

M 96 - Apr 8, 2021 - 30 frames, 10 s, gain 300, processed		M 96 - Apr 13, 2021 - 12 frames, 10 s, gain 300, processed

eVscope

M 96 - Mar 13, 2020		M 96 - Mar 13, 2020, photo left processed
M 96 - Mar 22, 2020 (4 min		M 96 - Mar 22, 2020 (5 min)		M 96 - Mar 22, 2020 (29 min)
M 96 - Mar 22, 2020, photo above processed		M 96 - Mar 22, 2020, photo above processed		M 96 - Mar 22, 2020, photo above processed
M 96 - Apr 22, 2020		M 96 - Apr 23, 2020		M 96 - Apr 23, 2020
M 96 - Apr 22, 2020, photo above processed		M 96 - Apr 23, 2020, photo above processed		M 96 - Apr 23, 2020, photo above processed
M 96 - May 16, 2020		M 96 - May 16, 2020, photo left processed
M 96 - Mar 7, 2021		M 96 - Mar 8, 2021		M 96 - Mar 8, 2021
M 96 - Mar 7, 2021, photo above processed		M 96 - Mar 8, 2021, photo above processed		M 96 - Mar 8, 2021, photo above processed

eVscope 2

M 96

M 96 - Mar 20, 2022		M 96 - Mar 20, 2022, photo left processed

M 95 and M 96

M 95/96 - Apr 17, 2022		M 95/96 - Apr 17, 2022, photo left processed

Vespera

M 95, M 96, M 105 and more, May 30, 2023 - mosaic, processed, large, 2520s		Evaluation with nova.astrometry.net

Small galaxies in the mosaic: NGC 3345, NGC 3346, NGC 3357, NGC 3367, NGC 3377, NGC 3384, NGC 3389, NGC 3391 (see evaluation)

M 95, M 96, M 105 and more, May 31, 2023 - mosaic, processed, large, 2310s		Evaluation with nova.astrometry.net

Small galaxies in the mosaic: IC 643, NGC 3345, NGC 3384, NGC 3389 (see evaluation)

Vespera Pro

M 95, M 96, M 105, and more, May 10, 2024 - mosaic, 2000p, 2940s		M 95, M 96, M 105, and more, May 10, 2024 - mosaic, processed, 2000p, 2940s
Observed sky region shown in Singularity		Evaluation with nova.astrometry.net
Small galaxies in the mosaic: IC 643, IC 648, NGC 3345, NGC 3384, NGC 3389, NGC 3412, NGC 3419, NGC 3367, NGC 3377, NGC 3357, NGC 3391, NGC 3338 (see evaluation)
M 95, M 96, M 105, and more, Feb 19, 2025 - 2000p, 30 min		M 95, M 96, M 105, and more, Feb 19, 2025 - 2000p, 30 min, processed
M 95, M 96, M 105, and more, Feb 19, 2025 - 2000p, 30 min, TIFF processed and denoised (PAI)		Evaluation with nova.astrometry.net
Small galaxies: IC 643,NGC 3345, NGC 3384, NGC 3389 (see evaluation)