Hamburger Galaxy NGC 3628

Hamburger Galaxy NGC 3628
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Hamburger Galaxy NGC 3628

NGC 3628, also known as the Hamburger Galaxy or Sarah's Galaxy, is an unbarred spiral galaxy about 35 million light-years away in the constellation Leo. Along with M65 and M66, NGC 3628 forms the Leo Triplet, a small group of galaxies. Its most conspicuous feature is the broad and obscuring band of dust located along the outer edge of its spiral arms, effectively transecting the galaxy to the view from Earth.

Due to the presence of an x-shaped bulge, visible in multiple wavelengths, it has been argued that NGC 3628 is instead a barred spiral galaxy with the bar seen end-on. Simulations have shown that bars often form in disk galaxies during interactions and mergers, and NGC 3628 is known to be interacting with its two large neighbours.

The name "Hamburger Galaxy" is a reference to its shape resembling a hamburger, while the name "Sarah's Galaxy" is thought to refer to poet Sarah Williams (1837–1868), most famous for the poem "The Old Astronomer:"

Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light;
I have loved the stars too truly to be fearful of the night.
SPECIFICATIONS
Telescope ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Telescope
Planewave CDK24 (Chi-1)
Camera ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Camera
QHY 600M
Location ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Location
El Sauce Observatory, Chile
Date of observation ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Date of observation
Feb - March 2023
Filters ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Filters
Astrodon LRGB
Processing ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Processing
PixInsight. GraXpert, RC Astro Tools, Photoshop
Credits ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Credits
Data: Telescope Live, Processing: Jonathan Lodge
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