Messier 81 (also known as NGC3031 and Bode's Galaxy), the largest of the two in the image below, is a spiral galaxy about 12 million light years away, with a diameter of 90,000 light years, in the constellation Ursa Major.
The smaller galaxy is Messier 82 (also known as NGC3034 and the Cigar Galaxy) is a starburst galaxy approximately 12 million light years away. A starburst galaxy is undergoing an exceptionally high rate of star formation.
The faint blue patch below M81 is Holmberg IX, a dwarf irregular galaxy and a satellite of M81. It is believed to have formed within the last 200 million years, making it the youngest nearby galaxy.
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| Processing |
• With PixInsight: ☞ Calibrate, star-align, and integrate subframes ☞ Background neutralization ☞ Process for high-dynamic range • Noise reduction with Topaz DeNoise AI • Final tweaking in Photoshop CS6 |
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| Date and Location |
• 2020: February 21 & 22 • 2021: March 5 & 6 • Louisa County, Virginia, USA |
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Equipment |
• TMB-130SS APO refractor @ f/7 on an A-P 1200 mount • ZWO ASI-1600MC Pro color camera • Guided with an ST-402 camera on a 60mm f/5 scope • Imaging and autoguiding with MaxIm DL 6.20 • Automated image acquisition with ACP Observatory Control |
Updated May 23, 2023