mick laBriola

Not as well-known as the Leo triplet NGC 5981, 5982 and 5985, collectively known as the Draco triplet are a fine group of galaxies high in Draco.

Unlike the Leo triplet however these galaxies are probably not related and reside at different distances so the triplet is purely a line of sight effect. NGC 5985 is about 120 million light years away, NGC 5982 about 130 million years and the small edge on NGC 5981 about 100 million light years away. However given the errors in astronomical distance measurement they could still be related.

NGC 5981 is quite a small dwarf galaxy. NGC 5982 and 5985 were found by William Herschel in 1788 but NGC 5981 had to wait until 1850 when it was found by J Stoney at Birr castle, probably with the 72″.