Photo Agency - Astronomy - Space - Nature

> Galaxies M81 and M82 in Ursa Major

Galaxies M81 and M82 in Ursa Major

author: R.Gendler/Novapix

reference: a-gax30-31002

Image Size 300 DPI: 41 * 27 cm

M81, seen here at left, is a grand design spiral galaxy that forms a physical pair with irregular galaxy M82. They are separated by 150,000 light years at a distance of 12 million light years. This galaxy group, consisting of M81, M82, NGC 3077 and NGC 2976, is the nearest galaxy group to our own local group of galaxies that contains the Milky Way, Magellanic Clouds, M33, and the M31 - M32 - M110 system.

Keywords for this photo:

ACT05 - ASTRONOMY - GALAXY - IRREGULAR GALAXY - M81 - M82 - NGC 3031 - NGC 3034 - Sb - SPIRAL GALAXY - STAR - STAR FORMATION - URSA MAJOR -