Galaxies M81 & M82
This image was obtained with the wide-field view of the Mosaic camera on the KPNO 0.9m-meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory. M81 (the spiral galaxy on the left) and M82 (the galaxy on the right) are two relatively nearby galaxies that are gravitationally interacting with each other. This interaction is triggering the formation of new stars in M82 at a massive rate, which can be seen from the filaments of red hydrogen gas in the galaxy. The very faint irregular dwarf galaxy Holmberg IX can barely be seen above M81. The image was generated with observations in B (blue), V (cyan), R (green), I (orange) and Hydrogen-Alpha (red). In this image, North is right, East is up.
Credit:T.A. Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage) and NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/
About the Image
| Id: | noao-m81m82 |
| Type: | Observation |
| Release date: | June 30, 2020, 9:33 p.m. |
| Size: | 8315 x 4642 px |
About the Object
Image Formats
Wallpapers
Coordinates
| Position (RA): | 9 54 50.25 |
| Position (Dec): | 69° 13' 42.50" |
| Field of view: | 58.87 x 32.87 arcminutes |
| Orientation: | North is 90.2° right of vertical |
Colors & filters
| Band | Wave-length | Tele-scope |
|---|---|---|
| Optical B | 436 nm | WIYN 0.9-meter Telescope Mosaic I |
| Optical V | 537 nm | WIYN 0.9-meter Telescope Mosaic I |
| Optical R | 644 nm | WIYN 0.9-meter Telescope Mosaic I |
| Optical I | 805 nm | WIYN 0.9-meter Telescope Mosaic I |
| Optical Ha | 656 nm | WIYN 0.9-meter Telescope Mosaic I |