Herschel 303
NGC 5576

Object Type Galaxy Sb
Constellation Virgo
Magnitude 10.7
Size 6.6' x 2.3'


Combination of 5, 3 minute images unfiltered.
SBIG STL-1001E CCD. 20" f/6.8 Dall-Kirkham cassegrain telescope at prime focus.

NGC 5566 is the largest and brightest member of a trio of galaxies that are part of the Virgo Cluster. The others are the 13.2 magnitude NGC 5560 to the upper right (north west) and the 13.7 magnitude NGC 5569 to the upper left. It is possible that these galaxies are interacting with each other as disks of all three seem to be distorted.

Visual Observation Notes:- NGC 5576.

Fairly large and bright. Moderately bright centre surrounded by a faint elongated disk. NGC 5560 and NGC 5569 visible in the same field.
18" f/5 newtonian. 16mm nagler eyepiece. 143x.
Sky View observatory. Zenith limiting magnitude 6.7.