Shot on 25 Jul 20235 photosM 82
Cigar Galaxy
- Right ascension
- 9ʰ 55ᵐ 32ˢ
- Declination
- +69° 40′
- Constellation
- Ursa Major
- Type
- Galaxy
- Magnitude
- 8.41ᵐ
- Tonight
- Never sets
- yes, circumpolar
- total exposure
- 9 h 51 min
- frames in the FITS archive
- 101
- imaging nights
- 3
- imaging period: 21 Aug — 9 Jan
- 2020–2022
Visibility and signal
Exposure by filter
- L1 h 36 min · 22 frames
- R1 h 5 min · 13 frames
- G1 h · 12 frames
- B1 h · 12 frames
- Hα3 h 50 min · 34 frames
- SII1 h 20 min · 8 frames
Share of each filter in the total exposure
- Narrowband filters
- 52%can be shot under the Moon
- Typical frame
- 351 s101 frames in total
- In one night
- 3 h 17 minaveraged over 3 nights
Altitude above the horizon tonight
Observing log3 nights · 101 frames
Photos of the objectEach photo is a separate processing; parameters and equipment are on the photo page
About the object
The Cigar Galaxy (Messier 82 or M82) is a star-forming spiral galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major. It is about 12 million light years away.
Key Features
- Size: Diameter 37,000 light years.
- Brightness: Five times brighter than the Milky Way.
- Supermassive Black Hole: Mass 30 million solar masses.
- Recession Velocity: 203 km/s.
Features
Star Formation Activity
As a result of gravitational interactions with the neighboring Bode Galaxy (M81), star formation activity in M82 has increased by a factor of 10. The center of the galaxy produces stars 10 times faster than the entire Milky Way galaxy. - Star Clusters: 197 young massive clusters have been identified, with an average mass of about 200,000 solar masses.
- Bipolar Outflow: A powerful outflow of matter from the central region is associated with frequent supernovae, occurring once every 10 years.
Structure
Previously thought to be irregular, the galaxy M82 actually has two symmetrical spiral arms. They were discovered in 2005 in the near infrared. Their hand-like shape and complex dust structures made them difficult to identify previously.
Unusual Objects
- Pulsar M82 X-2: The brightest known pulsar, discovered in 2014.
- Radio Source: In 2010, an object with unique radio emissions was discovered in M82, which has no analogues.
Supernovae
M82 has a high level of supernova activity:
- SN 2004am: A confirmed Type II supernova discovered in 2004.
- SN 2008iz: A radio supernova obscured by dust.
- SN 2014J: Discovered on January 21, 2014, it reached a brightness of +10.9 magnitude. It is the second closest supernova to Earth in the last 27 years.
Discovery history
The galaxy was discovered by Johann Elert Bode in 1774. In 1779, it was independently discovered by Pierre Méchain, and the object was included in the Messier catalog.
Interesting facts
-
M81 influence: Gravitational interaction with M81 began about 100 million years ago, triggering powerful star formation processes.
-
Gamma-ray burst: In November 2023, a gamma-ray burst caused by a magnetar was detected in the galaxy. This is the first such event outside the Milky Way.
Significance
M82 is a typical example of a star-forming galaxy and one of the closest such objects to Earth. Due to its bright core and active dynamics, it remains the subject of intense astronomical research.
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