M81-M82pscr

Bode's Nebula 050510

Messier 81, NGC 3031 - Bode's Nebula
Messier 81 (NGC 3031) in Ursa Major is one of the most conspicuous spiral galaxies in the sky. It forms a physical pair with its neighbor, M 82, and is the dominant galaxy of the M81 group. Discovered along with M 82 by Johann Bode, and sometimes referred to as Bode's Nebula, M 81 is one of the easiest and most rewarding galaxies for amateur astronomers in the northern hemisphere.


Messier 82, NGC 3034 - Bode's Nebulae
Messier 82 (NGC 3034) is a remarkable, peculiar galaxy in Ursa Major. M 82 was discovered along with its partner M 81 by Johann Bode, and both galaxies are sometimes known as Bode's Nebulae. Also called the Cigar Galaxy, M 82 has been spectacularly disturbed by a relatively recent encounter with M 81, and displays conspicuous dust lanes and heavy star formation. M 82 is the prototype irregular starburst disk galaxy.