NGC 3338 is a spiral galaxy located approximately 65.5 million light-years away in the constellation Leo, based on data from the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED).
With an estimated diameter of about 83,000 light-years, it is over 80% the size of the Milky Way.
The galaxy has an apparent size of approximately 4.5 × 3.5 arcminutes, making it a visible feature in deep-sky observations.
NGC 3338 has a bright central core surrounded by a disk, with a dark dust ring marking the transition to its spiral arms.
The structure suggests a history that may have been influenced by interactions with other galaxies.
The spiral arms contain regions of star formation, emitting a blue glow from young, hot stars, contrasting with the warmer yellowish tones of the core.
NGC 3338 is one of several spiral galaxies in Leo studied for its structure and star-forming activity. However, it is often overlooked in astrophotography compared to other spiral galaxies in the constellation.
Imaged in LRGB on my Planewave CDK 1000 at Observatorio El Sauce, Chile.
Image acquisition and processing: Mike Selby