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Date: | 30.10.95 | Time: | 2:30 UT | Exposure: | B:10m, V:10m, H-alpha:10m, I:10m |
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Field of View: | 10' x 7.7' | Receiver: | WWFPP, 20482 CCD | Filter: | B, V, (H-alpha, I) |
Instrument: | 1.23m | Observatory: | Calar Alto | Observer: | S. Kohle, T. Credner |
Astronomical Institutes of the University of Bonn
This color composite made out of exposures in the B, V, I and H-alpha filters represents a view similar to the impression of a naked eye view through a very big telescope.
M 82 belongs to the M 81 group of galaxies and is strongly interacting with M 81. The disk shows a clear warping like NGC 4631. Throughout the disk of M 82 you can see dark filaments of dust shadowing the light of star-forming regions.The inclusion of the additional H-alpha exposure enhances the filamentary structure of ionized HII gas near the center of the galaxy. M 82 is the prototypical starburst galaxy with a bipolar outflow out of the center. The ionization mechanism which is responsible for these filaments is still under debate. It could be photoionization by the light of a luminous starburst in the center of the galaxy. Another explanation could be shock heating due to the outflow of gas.