M95 is a beautifully structured barred spiral galaxy located about 33 million light-years away in the constellation Leo.
Spanning roughly 50,000 light-years across, it’s classified as SB(r)b and showcases a prominent central bar feeding into a symmetric pair of spiral arms. In this image, the inner ring surrounding the bar is especially striking—peppered with pinkish star-forming knots that outline a classic circumnuclear starburst ring.
The spiral arms reveal fine dust lanes and scattered bluish regions of young stars, winding tightly from the ends of the bar and extending into a faint, diffuse halo that hints at the galaxy’s full extent. Numerous background galaxies are visible across the field, adding cosmic depth to the scene.
M95 may sit quietly alongside more famous neighbors like M96 and M105, but with its elegant symmetry, active star-forming ring, and rich outer structure, it’s a standout in its own right—especially when seen in this level of detail.
Imaged in LRGB on my Planewave CDK 1000 at Observatorio El Sauce, Chile.
Image acquisition and processing: Mike Selby