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Messier 96 is an
intermediate spiral galaxyAn intermediate spiral galaxy is a galaxy that is in between the classifications of a barred spiral galaxy and an unbarred spiral galaxy. It is designated as SAB in the galaxy morphological classification scheme.-Grades:...
about
31 millionTo help compare different orders of magnitude, this page lists distances starting at 10 Zm .Distances shorter than 10 Zm* 24 Zm — 2.5 million light years — Distance to the Andromeda Galaxy...
light-yearA light-year, also light year or lightyear is a unit of length, equal to just under 10 trillion kilometres...
s away in the
constellationIn modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky....
LeoLeo is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for lion. Its symbol is . Leo lies between dim Cancer to the west and Virgo to the east.-Stars:...
. It was discovered by
Pierre MéchainPierre François André Méchain was a French astronomer and surveyor who, with Charles Messier, was a major contributor to the early study of deep sky objects and comets.-Life:...
in 1781.
M96 Group
M96 is the brightest galaxy within the
M96 GroupThe M96 Group is a group of galaxies in the constellation Leo. This group contains between 8 and 24 galaxies, including three Messier objects. The group is one of many groups that lies within the Virgo Supercluster The M96 Group (also known as the Leo I Group) is a group of galaxies in the...
, a group of galaxies in the
constellationIn modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky....
LeoLeo is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for lion. Its symbol is . Leo lies between dim Cancer to the west and Virgo to the east.-Stars:...
also includes the Messier objects
M95Messier 95 is a barred spiral galaxy about 38 million light-years away in the constellation Leo. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781, and catalogued by Charles Messier four days later.-Nucleus:...
and
M105Messier 105 is an elliptical galaxy in the constellation Leo. Messier 105 is known to have a supermassive black hole.-History:...
, as well as at least nine other galaxies. The M96 galaxy has asymmetric arms and a displaced core, probably caused by the gravitational pull by the other nearby galaxies.
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