Hamburger Galaxy (NGC 3628) – 11 Hours of Deep-Sky Detail
The Hamburger Galaxy, NGC 3628, is one of the most striking galaxies in the spring sky and one of my latest deep-sky imaging projects. Located in the constellation Leo, this beautiful edge-on spiral galaxy is part of the well-known Leo Triplet, together with M65 and M66.
Its nickname comes from the prominent dark dust lane slicing through the bright galactic core, creating the unmistakable “hamburger” appearance that makes this object such a favorite among astrophotographers.
For this image, I captured 223 light frames at 180 seconds each, resulting in a total integration time of 11 hours and 9 minutes. The long exposure time was key to revealing the galaxy’s fine dust structures, soft outer halo, and faint surrounding detail while preserving the brightness and contrast of the central core.
One of the most rewarding aspects of imaging NGC 3628 is the level of structure visible in its edge-on profile. The dark dust lane stands out beautifully against the luminous stellar bulge, while the extended glow above and below the disk adds depth and dimension to the final image.
This target is also scientifically fascinating, as its shape and faint outer extensions hint at gravitational interactions with neighboring galaxies in the Leo Triplet. These interactions have helped shape the galaxy over millions of years, leaving behind subtle distortions and tidal features.
Every deep-sky object tells a story, and the Hamburger Galaxy is a perfect reminder of the immense scale of the universe—an entire galaxy tens of millions of light-years away, captured from my own observatory setup through hours of patient data collection.
Technical Imaging Details
Target: NGC 3628 – Hamburger Galaxy
Constellation: Leo
Object Type: Edge-on spiral galaxy
Total Integration: 11h 09m
Exposure: 223 × 180s
Equipment
- Main Camera: ZWO ASI 071 MC Cool
- Guide Camera: ZWO ASI 290 MC
- Telescope: TS-Optics 10″ f/4 ONTC Carbon Tube
- Mount: Twinstar FG 80
- Autofocus: Deep Sky Dad AF3
- Filter Wheel: Starlight Express USB Filter Wheel
- Flat Panel: Deep Sky Dad OFP
