LRGB + Ha
LRGB
M 81/M 82 - Bode’s Galaxy / The Cigar Galaxy
January 2026
Messier 81 and Messier 82 are a nearby interacting galaxy pair located ~12 million light-years away in Ursa Major. A close gravitational encounter between the two galaxies triggered intense star formation in M82, producing powerful superwinds that expel ionized gas far beyond its disk. These energetic outflows are revealed here through deep H-alpha integration, while extensive broadband data resolves the delicate spiral structure and dust lanes of M81. This image combines deep LRGB data for fine detail and color fidelity with targeted H-alpha to highlight the dynamic starburst activity in M82.
Target Information
- Catalog ID
- M 81★M 82
- Common Name
- Bode's Galaxy, The Cigar Galaxy
- Constellation
- Ursa Major
- Object Type
- Galaxy
- RA
- 9h 54m 53s
- Dec
- +69° 2′ 52″
- Field of View
- 1.97° × 1.05°
Acquisition Data
32h 3m total| Filter | Frames | Exp | Subtotal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lum | 309 | 180s | 15h 27m |
| R | 88 | 180s | 4h 24m |
| G | 86 | 180s | 4h 18m |
| B | 88 | 180s | 4h 24m |
| Hα | 42 | 300s | 3h 30m |
Equipment
Starfront - Redcat 91 · Starfront Observatories · Bortle 1
Telescope
Camera
Mount
Filters
Accessories
Guiding Optic
Guiding Camera