Messier 82 (also known as NGC 3034, Cigar Galaxy or M82) is a starburst galaxy about 12 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major and a member of the M81 Group. It is about five times more luminous than the whole Milky Way and has a center one hundred times more luminous than our galaxy’s center. The starburst activity is thought to have been triggered by interaction with neighboring galaxy M81. As the closest starburst galaxy (check the Wikipedia reference) to our own, M82 is the prototypical example of this galaxy type.
I image M82 every season, it became a favorite subject of mine ever since the awesome Supernova (SN2014J) in 2014. You can view a few images of that supernova at this link: https://flic.kr/p/jT5nYp
Tech Specs: Meade 12” LX-90, Canon 6D, 90 x 60 second exposures, guided using a ZWO ASI290MC and Orion 60mm guide scope. Captured using BYE. Image date: February 19, 2020 and March 12, 2019. Location: The Dark Side Observatory, Weatherly, PA, USA.