M95 (left) amd M96 are a pair of spiral galaxies in the constellation of Leo, about eight degrees west of the Leo Trio. Located 38 million light-years from the solar system, they are visible in binculars and small telescopes. Moderately large telescopes are required to see the spiral structures. M95's central bar and inner spiral arms look a bit like Darth Vader's TIE fighter in Star Wars.

Instrument: ST-10XME/Vixen 102-ED
F-ratio: f/6.5
Exposure: LRGB: L 10 x 4 minutes, binned 1x1: R 4 x 6 minutes: G 3 x 6 minutes: B 5 x 6 minutes: RGB binned 2x2
Date: March 20, 2004
Location: Landers, California, USA
Technical Notes: Individual expsoures were sigma combined. The RGB images were combined in Registar 1.0 and color balanced in Photoshop CS using Levels at ratios of 1.3: 1.0: 1.6. Futher adjustments were made with Curves and color saturation was increased. A Gaussian Blur of 1.0 pixels was applied. Contrast adjustments were made to the luminance image using Levels and Curves and a Gaussian Blur of 1.0 pixels was applied before it was combined with the RGB image.