Messier 81 & 82

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Messier 81 is a spiral galaxy about 12 million light-years away, in the constellation Ursa Major. Due to its proximity to Earth, large size, and active galactic nucleus, Messier 81 has been studied extensively by professional astronomers. The galaxy's large size and relatively high brightness also make it a popular target for amateur astronomers"

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Messier 82 (Cigar Galaxy) is a starburst galaxy about 12 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major. 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 close proximity of these two galaxies makes it possible to include both in this field of view.  M 81 is on the upper right and M 82 is on the lower left."

Date :  February 2026
Location : Arizona Sky Village, Portal, Arizona

Equipment used :
 Lens or telescope -- AP 155CS with Brandon external guidescope
 Mount -- AP 1200
 Camera -- ASI2600MC plus ASI220 guider

Acquistion Software : NINA
Processing Software : PixInsight, Photoshop

Exposure Detail : One Shot Color    Total hours 11.9