HUBBLE ATLAS
Digitized Sky Survey 2 image of M82 and M81 (ground-based image) (Cigar Galaxy , Messier 82) — image from the Hubble Space Telescope

Galaxies

Digitized Sky Survey 2 image of M82 and M81 (ground-based image)

April 24, 2006 · ESA/Hubble · Cigar Galaxy , Messier 82 · Ursa Major

Zoom to full resolution See where it is in the 3D sky Original on ESA/Hubble ↗

The spiral galaxy M81 and the neighbour galaxy M82 are forming a physical pair. A few tens of million years ago, the smaller M82 collided with M81. This gravitational interaction deformed M82 and caused its concentrated burst of star formation.

More Hubble images of Cigar Galaxy , Messier 82