The Hamburger Galaxy, cataloged as NGC 3628, is an edge-on barred spiral galaxy that makes a striking target for astrophotographers thanks to its slender, elongated profile bisected by a prominent dark dust lane. Presenting an apparent magnitude of 9.48 and an angular size of 24′ × 4.8′, it rewards moderate to long focal lengths that can resolve its thin, sandwich-like structure. Its relatively low surface brightness of 23.2837 mag/arcsec² means that deep, well-integrated exposures under dark skies are essential to pull out the faint outer extensions and the tidal features that hug its disk. Careful stretching and noise control during processing help preserve the delicate contrast between the bright core, the dust lane, and the surrounding dark background.
Names and Catalog numbers
- Hamburger Galaxy
- NGC 3628
- UGC 6350
- PGC 34697
Position and the cosmic neighborhood
Situated in the constellation Leo at right ascension 11h 20m 17.0s and declination +13° 35′ 22″, the Hamburger Galaxy sits within one of the sky’s most rewarding galaxy-rich regions. It is a well-known member of a compact grouping alongside two bright companion galaxies, making it a favorite for wide-field frames that capture multiple galaxies in a single composition. For imagers, this proximity to its neighbors offers a chance to record faint tidal streams and interacting structures, provided the framing and integration time are generous enough to reveal them against the dark surroundings.
Nice to Know
- Its edge-on orientation and thick central dust lane give it a layered, sandwich-like appearance that inspired the nickname “Hamburger Galaxy.”
- Spanning roughly 276,000 light-years across, it is an unusually large galaxy that fills the frame at longer focal lengths.
- With an angular size of 24′ × 4.8′, its long, thin silhouette makes it one of the more distinctive edge-on targets for astrophotography.
- It carries several catalog designations, including NGC 3628, PGC 34697, and UGC 6350, and recedes at a radial velocity of 830 km/s.
Brightness, distance and size
The object has an apparent magnitude of 9.5 mag, it lies about 38.8 million light-years from Earth and spans roughly 276,000 light-years across. On the sky it appears about 24′ × 4.8′ in size.
