M66 (NGC 3627) Leo galaxy
Difficulty level 2

Date of observation: 2001/05/21 21:34
Observing site: Makinoto
Transparency/seeing/sky darkness: 3/2/4
Instruments: 32cm Dobsonian with RA8 at 190x
Width of field: 0.3 degree
This is one of the trio of galaxies near the hind leg of Leo. The spiral structure is not detected at low powers. At 190x complex structures are barely discernable. The bar structure is readily available but the spiral arms are difficult to confirm. This is as much as I can see after persistent observation.
There is a small circular core accompanied with a faint nucleus. A thin bar structure extends from both sides of the core in the south and north. The bars are bright and clear.
A faint spiral arm is detected which runs from the north of the bar to the west and further extends to the south. This arm is so faint that averted vision and adequate time are necessary for detection.
This arm also looks bent and the extension after this point is extremely faint.
From the southern end of the bar runs a wide, short arm toward the east. It is much fainter than the western arm.

View a sketch made by a 50cm telescope