* Astronomy

NGC 3623 (also Messier 65, M65, IRAS 11163+1322, MCG 2-29-18, Arp 317 and PGC 34612) is a magnitude 9.2 spiral galaxy located 37 million light-years away away in the constellation Leo.
M65 is part of the famous "Leo Triplet", a small group of galaxies that also includes M66 and NGC 3628. The Leo Triplet is bright enough to see with 7x50 binoculars; NGC 3628 is the fainter. The best time for observation is in winter and spring.
M 65 is located almost exactly midway between Theta and Iota Leonis, a few degrees east of fairly bright 73 Leonis (5.3 mag). In small amateur telescopes the galaxy is visible as a diffuse extended elliptical spot with a bright almost stellar nucleus. 
With a 250-300 mm aperture telescope a dust lane is visible near the eastern edge of the galaxy.  In the vicinity of the galaxy are visible two faint (12 and 13.5 mag) foreground stars.

The galaxy was discovered by French astronomer Charles Messier using a  8.38 cm (3.3 inch) refractor on the 1st March 1780.

Right Ascension  11h 18m 56.6s, Declination +13° 05' 27"

Read more