This is a picture of M82, also known as the Cigar Galaxy. This is what is known as a starburst galaxy and is about 12 million light years away in the constellation of Ursa Major. A starburst galaxy is one in which the rate of star formation is over ten times the rate in our Milky Way galaxy. The plumes of flame like hydrogen gas blasting out from its central region are a result of intense star formation. This intense star formation is thought to have been brought about by an earlier interaction with its nearby neighbor M81.
January 15-23, 2013
Location: Rancho Hidalgo, NM
Telescope: TEC-140 (F7)
Camera: SBIG ST-8300M
Mount: AP900 GTO
Luminance: 23x20 minutes
Red: 7x15 minutes
Green: 8x15 minutes
Blue: 8x15 minutes