Of course M96 is a spiral galaxy, and counting the faint arms extending beyond the brighter central region it spans 100 thousand light-years or so, about the size of our own Milky Way.
M96 is known to be 38 million light-years distant, a dominant member of the Leo I galaxy group.
Background galaxies and smaller Leo I group members can be found by examining the picture, but accomplished astro-imager Adam Block notes he is most intrigued by the edge-on spiral galaxy that apparently lies behind the outer spiral arm near the 10 o'clock position.
The edge-on spiral appears to be about 1/5 the size of M96.
If the spiral is similar in actual size to M96, then it lies about 5 times farther away.
