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M81 and M82

 


M81 & M82: Galaxies in Ursa Major

Imaged on 1/20/07
Scope: Takahashi FSQ106N
Mount: Losmandy G-11
Camera/Autoguider: SXV-H9c
Exposures: 30 x 5 minutes
Site: Anza Borrego Desert
Temp: 34 degrees, calm, good seeing

Located 4.5 million light years away, M82 (left) had a close encounter with M81 (right) 1-2 million years ago blasting hot hydrogen gas (red) into nearby space and distorting the shape of M82.