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M 82 is a very peculiar galaxy located in Ursa Major. This galaxy is also known, together with M 81, as the Bode Nebulae, but a more popular name is Cigar Galaxy. This galaxy is quite close to M 81, about 135,000 light years, and has gone through several gravitational encounters with it. This is the reason for the beautiful red tendrils erupting from its core as well as the high star-birth ratio in the central parts of the galaxy. This galaxy displays one supernova every ten years or so and it is the brightest infrared galaxy in the sky.
Additional Information
Object
Name(s): M 82. NGC 3034. Cigar Galaxy
Type: Spiral galaxy
RA: 09h 55m 52s
Dec: +69º 41’ 01”
Constellation: Ursa Major
Size (arcmin): 12×5
Magnitude: +8.4
Distance: 12 Mly
Image
Date: 2013-01-04
Location: iTelescope.net, Nerpio, Spain
Size (arcmin): 37×25
Telescope: 12” f/7.9
Camera: FLI ML6303 (3072x2048pix)
Guiding: yes
Total exposure: 33 min (L: 9min; RGB 24 min)
Processing: CCDStack, Photoshop CC 2016 and PixInsight