Description (Adapted from Steve Mandel, Robert Gendler, APOD, and SEDS):
M82 was discovered by Johann Elert Bode in 1774. M82 is a prototype member of the class of galaxies called, "starburst galaxies". As a starburst galaxy, M82 shows a rate of star formation 10 times greater than our galaxy. A member of the M81 group, M82 is about 12 million light years distant. In infrared light, M82 is the brightest galaxy in the sky; it exhibits a, "infrared excess" (it is much brighter at infrared wavelengths than in the visible part of the spectrum). The accumulated brightness of new massive stars makes these galaxies some of the most luminous.
The triggering of starbursts within M82 is the result of the gravitational encounter with M81. The resulting forces and shock waves compress existing molecular clouds and induce the formation of new stars. The new stars then produce stellar winds which trigger a chain reaction of further star formation. When the gas clouds are depleted star formation eventually ceases.
Equipment: (SMAP/FTO and Astroden)
- TMB203 F/7
- SBIG STL-6303E
- Paramount ME
Exposures:
- Luminance: 48x15 minute subs, 12 hours
- Red: 25x15 minute subs, 6.25 hours
- Green: 27x15 minute subs, 6.75 hours
- Blue: 28x15 minute subs, 7 hours
- Ha: 8x30 minute subs, 4 hours
Totaling 36 hours
Processing:
- Calibration, registration, normalization, data rejection, RGB combine, sLum, denoising, and deconvolution in CCDStack.
- Photoshop CS2: Noise control, match color boost for saturation, Rob Gendler's LLRGB technique, a bit of extra deconvolution, contrasting
- Other color adjustments and enhancements