Photograph
Leo Triplet / M66 Group
Three majestic spiral galaxies (M65, M66, and NGC 3628) locked in a gravitational dance 35 million light-years away in the constellation Leo. The image reveals how their mutual attraction warps their galactic disks, drawing out long tidal tails of gas and dust.
Beyond the frame
The most dramatic trace of the interaction is the faint tidal tail of NGC 3628, extending far beyond the main body of the galaxy. It contains stars and gas pulled outward during a close passage by M66. The orderly spiral forms conceal the fact that the three galaxies have already disturbed one another and continue to reshape each other slowly.