M82 - Cigar Galaxy
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- RA: 09:55.8
- Dec: +69:41
- Magnitude: 8.4
- Distance: 12,000,000 ly
- Size: 9 x 4 arc min
- Constellation: Ursa Major
- Scope: 8" SCT at f/10
- Autoguider: ST-4 in faint mode
- Sky conditions: good transparency and good seeing
- Film: Kodak Supra 400
- Exposure: 50 minutes
- Date: March 26, 2003
Comments: Temperature was in the upper 20s. The night started out great but clouds rolled in about 2:30 am. I decided on shorter exposures because I knew the clouds were coming. This will have to be shot again for 60-90 minutes on the next trip out. M82 forms a physical pair with its neighbor M81 and is a member of the nearby group called the M81 group. It is the prototype of a disk irregular galaxy. Its core seems to have suffered dramatically from a semi-recent close encounter with M81, being in a heavy starburst and displaying conspicuous dark lanes. This turbulent explosive gas flow is also a strong source of radio noise.