I already imaged M82 together with M81, and also recorded SN2014J supernova in this galaxy, but Messier 82 (also known as Cigar Galaxy) itself has never been one and only target of my image. Up till now 🙂
Messier 82 is also known as Cigar Galaxy due to its shape. It is located about 12 million light years away in constellation Ursa Major. This interesting object is five times more luminous than our Milky Way. It is also the nearest known outburst galaxy. M82 was previously recognised as irregular galaxy, but in 2005 two spiral arms were detected in near infrared images.
M82 is being physically affected by its larger neighbour – spiral galaxy M81. Tidal forces started to deform M82 about 100 million years ago.
Cigar Galaxy is magnificent target for both visual and imaging. It can be observed basically with any visual aid starting from small binoculars. The more aperture we use the more details will appear. Also it is real gem for imaging amateurs for any telescope size. Large scale will reveal nice structures, medium scale will show it together with M81 companion. And widefields will show also faint structures of Integrated Flux Nebula.
Subframes for the image below was captures in the late April of 2019. Nights are short in this time of the year at my location. At one month later, during even shorter nights I captured a little bit of hydrogen alpha data. It would be very recommended to collect much more photons for this target, and I will definitely do it 🙂
Large version: https://astrojolo.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/2019-05-24-M82H.jpg
Clear skies!
Image technical data: Date: 21-22.04.2019, 24.05.2019 Location: Nieborowice, Poland Telescope: Meade ACF 10" Corrector: AP CCDT67 Camera: QHY163M, gain 100 Mount: SW EQ6 Guiding: SW 80/400 + ASI290MM Exposure: L 400x60s, RGB 80:50:60x30s, Ha 60x120s Conditions: suburban sky, seeing good, transparency good
