NGC 3305

NGC 3305 is a barred spiral galaxy located approximately 170 million light-years away in the constellation Leo. It is a member of the Leo Triplet, a prominent group of galaxies that also includes Messier 65 (M65) and Messier 66 (M66).

NGC 3305 is classified as a SBab galaxy, indicating it is a barred spiral with relatively tightly wound spiral arms. The "SB" designation signifies the presence of a bar-shaped structure at the center of the galaxy, while "ab" indicates the tightness of the spiral arms. The galaxy exhibits active star formation regions, visible as bright blue patches along its spiral arms, indicating ongoing stellar birth processes.

The gravitational interaction within the Leo Triplet has likely influenced the morphology of NGC 3305 and its neighboring galaxies. These interactions can trigger star formation, distort galactic shapes, and create tidal tails or bridges of gas and stars between the galaxies. Studying NGC 3305 and the Leo Triplet provides insights into the dynamics and evolution of galaxy groups.