M81 and M82: Galaxy Pair in Ursa Major

Imaged on 5/02/08
Scope: Takahashi FSQ 106
Mount: Losmandy G-11
Camera/Autoguider: SBIG ST10-XME
Exposures: GB 15 min ea + Ha 40 min + Lum 50 min
Site: Palomar Mountain
Temp: 50 degrees, calm, very good seeing

Located 4.5 million light years away, M82 (right) had a close encounter with M81 (left) 1-2 million years ago blasting hot hydrogen gas (red) into nearby space and distorting the shape of M82. These images show the hydrogen surrounding nebular regions in M81 and the hydrogen gas that is jetting out from M82