NGC3344

NGC3344 is located in Leo Minor and is relatively isolated. From Earth we see it face on, so its spiral arms are dominant.  Its distance from Earth is a little vague, the Nasa Extragalactic Database giving a minimum estimate of about 20 and a maximum of about 78 million light years,  with a mean of about 41 million light years.  It displays both an inner and an outer ring and is also known as the Sliced Onion Galaxy, apparently named because observing this galaxy is like peeling away the skin of an onion, with magnification as the carving tool.....

The LRGB image below was taken with my Esprit 150 and represents just under 18 hours integration time.