Not everybody knows that there are actually two triplets of galaxies in the constellation Leo!

Object: M95, NGC3351
Type: Spiral galaxy with a bar, SBb
Constellation: Leo
Location: RA: 10h 43m 58s DEC: +11° 42' 15" (E 2000)
Brightness: 10,7
Size: 7.4' x 5.0'

Object: M96, NGC3368
Type: Spiral galaxy
Constellation: Leo
Location: RA: 10h 46m 45s DEC: +11° 49' 16" (E 2000)
Brightness: 9,9
Size: 7.5' x 5.2'

Object: M105, NGC3379
Type: Eliptical galaxy, type E
Constellation: Leo
Location: RA: 10h 47m 50s DEC: +12° 34' 57" (E 2000)
Brightness: 10,1
Size: 5.3' x 4.7'

Actually there are even more galaxy trios in the Leo - first is called Leo 1 Group contains the brightest on this picture (from right) M96, M95 i M105. Second trio is composed of M105 with neighbouring NGC3384 i NGC3389.

M95 and M95 were discovered by Pierre Méchain on 20 March 1781.

M95 is a barred spiral galaxy. It was one of the most important galaxies observed by Hubble during the "cosmological constant project". Distance calculated using Cepheid variables is around 35,5 million light years (average distance to the M95 / M96 group is approximately 38 million light years).

M96 is the brightest in this group, which also often called "M96 group". Estimated distance of 41 million light years. At this distance, the central area would be 66.000 light years in diameter. It is surrounded by dimmer spiral arms at least 100.000 in diameter. Estimated total magnitude is -21m - this is a bright galaxy! In 1998 a bright supernova was discovered in M96 .

M105 is an interesting elliptical galaxy. It contains a central object (black hole?) of at least 50 solar masses. M105 was discovered by Pierre Méchain on 24 March 1781.

Just close to M105 is another nice member of the group - galaxy NGC 3384. Smaller NGC 3389 is most likely a background object, at twice the distance.