Bode's 'Nebula'
M81 in Ursa Major
was discovered in 1774 by German astronomer Johann Elbert Bode. At 12,000,000 light-years distance, it is among the furthest Messier objects. A classic Sb spiral, M81 is one of the most beautiful galaxies in the heavens. Tiny bluish Holmberg IX, an irregular dwarf galaxy, appears at
6 o'clock below M81. A good amount of IFN (Integrated Flux Nebula) is just visible in the background sky at left. Its neighbor, M82 is here.
Both galaxies can be viewed together, here.
Many thanks to my friend, Dr. Khavar Dar for the data, acquired from Animas, New Mexico.
LARGE
FULL-RES
was discovered in 1774 by German astronomer Johann Elbert Bode. At 12,000,000 light-years distance, it is among the furthest Messier objects. A classic Sb spiral, M81 is one of the most beautiful galaxies in the heavens. Tiny bluish Holmberg IX, an irregular dwarf galaxy, appears at
6 o'clock below M81. A good amount of IFN (Integrated Flux Nebula) is just visible in the background sky at left. Its neighbor, M82 is here.
Both galaxies can be viewed together, here.
Many thanks to my friend, Dr. Khavar Dar for the data, acquired from Animas, New Mexico.
LARGE
FULL-RES