Multi-Wavelength viewer
Thursday, 12-Jun-2025 13:29:13 GMT

M82 is an irregular galaxy in the constellation of Ursa Major. At a
distance of 12 million light years, M82 is the nearest example of a class of galaxies
known as "starbursts" because of they form stars at a higher rate than
normal galaxies like our own Milky Way. Because of its shape when viewed
through a small telescope it is also known as the Cigar galaxy.
This image is a wide-field view of M82 (right) and its larger companion, M81 (left), as seen in the ultra-violet by the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX). UV light traces areas of active star formation, seen mainly in the spiral arms of M81, but throughout the edge-on disk of M82. This star formation has been triggered by a close encounter between the galaxies.
Image credit: GALEX