Latest news with #M81
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Amateur astrophotographer captures gorgeous view of Bode's galaxy from Death Valley
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Astrophotographer Joel Martin captured a magnificent view of Bode's Galaxy in February 2025 during the annual Dark Sky Festival held in California's Death Valley National Park. The frames used to create Martin's galactic portrait were captured on the night of Feb. 21 using a 150mm f/4 Newtonian telescope connected to a ASI533 astrophotography camera capable of taking full color images in a single exposure without the need for filters. Bode's Galaxy has an apparent magnitude of +6.94, making it one of the brightest galaxies visible in the Northern Hemisphere. Martin was able to bring out exquisite detail in the grand spiral galaxy by executing a set of 18 separate 300 second exposures, which were then stacked and post-processed using PixInsight astrophotography software. TOP TELESCOPE PICK: Want to see galaxies in the night sky? The Celestron NexStar 4SE is ideal for beginners wanting quality, reliable and quick views of celestial objects. For a more in-depth look at our Celestron NexStar 4SE review. The end result is a stunning view of M81 that highlights active star forming regions embedded in the galaxy's spiral arms, the light from which has travelled for 11.6 million light-years before rushing headlong into Martin's telescope. The prominent core of Bode's Galaxy also shines brightly with the light of older, redder stars in this shot, which orbit a monstrous supermassive black hole that is estimated to have a mass the equivalent to 15 times that of the Milky Way's Sagittarius A*. April just so happens to be the best month to view Bode's Galaxy, so why not head out and try to spot it for yourself? You can track down M81 by locating the Big Dipper asterism in the constellation Ursa Major - which is high overhead this time of year in the Northern Hemisphere - and engaging in a little star hopping. First off, locate the bright star Phecda, and draw an imaginary diagonal line from this star through Dubhe, which is located on the 'pouring tip' of the Big Dipper's bowl. Continue this line outwards for the same distance that it took to cross the bowl, and you will find the patch of sky containing Bode's Galaxy. Remember, M81 is invisible to the naked eye. However, as explained by NASA it can be seen through a good pair of binoculars as a smudge of light, with the smaller cigar-shaped galaxy M82 also in frame, but a small telescope is needed to resolve the bright galactic core and elegant, sweeping spiral arms. If you want to try and find Bode's Galaxy for yourself then why not avail yourself of our guides detailing the best binoculars deals and best telescope deals available this year. Our guides on the best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography can also help you prepare to capture the next skywatching sight.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Amateur astronomer captures Cigar Galaxy and Bode's Galaxy swimming in a spectral nebula (photo)
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Astrophotographer Greg Meyer has captured a striking cosmic vista featuring the grand design spiral galaxy M81 alongside the nearby 'Cigar Galaxy' (M82), against the faint swirling mass of an integrated flux nebula (IFN). The stunning image shows the classic spiral swirl of M81 — also known as Bode's Galaxy — suspended against the chaotic cloud patterns of the nebula, with the Cigar Galaxy lurking to its left. The nebula featured in Meyer's photo is much closer to Earth than the galactic duo, and is illuminated not by starlight from within, but solely by the ambient light of the Milky Way. As a result, IFNs tend to be very faint, and challenging to capture, especially when framed alongside brighter objects. "I always admire shots with IFN. The Texas Star Party gave me the opportunity to get a lot of Lum data under dark skies to finally get my version of the classic couple," Meyer told in an email. "A bit of trick stretching the IFN data, and not blowing out the galaxies - masks!" Meyer continued, referring to a digital editing tool used to isolate and adjust specific parts of an image. TOP TELESCOPE PICK: Want to explore the wonders of the deep sky for yourself? The Celestron NexStar 4SE is ideal for beginners wanting quality, reliable and quick views of celestial objects. For a more in-depth look at our Celestron NexStar 4SE review. Bode's Galaxy and M82 are found about 12 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Ursa Major. The pair are thought to have collided some 10 million years ago, with the gravitational tug of war distorting M82 into its current cigar-like shape, while prompting an explosion of starbirth, according to the European Space Agency. The Garland Galaxy (NGC 3077) can also be spotted as a blur of light towards the bottom of the image, while a fourth galactic interloper — NGC 2976 glows to the upper right of the cosmic vista. Meyer captured the scene over a total of 51 hours and 40 minutes using a Radian Raptor 61mm telescope paired with an ASI 2600 MM astronomy camera during the Texas Star Party astronomy event, which was held under dark sky conditions in April. About 30 of those hours were dedicated to gathering luminance data, with the remaining time split between red, green, blue and hydrogen-alpha filter exposures. The collected light data was then processed into a single image using the astronomy software PixInsight, Photoshop and Lightroom. Night sky enthusiasts hoping to get a glimpse of Bode's Galaxy for themselves should check out our guide to the best telescope deals, along with our roundups for the best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography. Editor's Note: If you are interested in sharing your astrophotography with the readers at please send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@
