Messier 81/82 (M 81/82) - Bode Galaxies, NGC 3077

Introduction | Map | Sketch | My Best Own Photos | My Own Observations | References || Appendix: My Own Photos

On this page I collect my observations of the Bode galaxies M 81/82 in the constellation Ursa Major and of the galaxy NGC 3077, which is a member of the M 81 group.

 

Introduction

M 81 (Bode Galaxy) is the main galaxy of a galaxy group in Ursa Major / Great Bear, which also includes the M 82 galaxy (Cigar Galaxy) (sometimes both galaxies are called together Bode Galaxies; the were both discovered by Elert Bode). Only in a small telescope, the two can be observed together, because the viewing angle should, according to Stoyan, be at least 1.5° (I was able to observe both at once in 2019 and in 2022, see below). M 81 is a spiral galaxy, which is seen from above, whereas M 82 is an irregular galaxy, which is seen in edge position.

NGC 3077 is a small disrupted elliptical galaxy and a member of the M 81 Group.

M 81      M 82      NGC 3077
Size: 12' x 5' / 6' x 2' (Stoyan)
Distance: 11 million light years (Stoyan)
Rating: **** (Stoyan)
  Size: 12' x 5' / 6' x 2' (Stoyan)
Distance: 11 million light years (Stoyan)
Rating: **** (Stoyan)
  Size: 2' (Stoyan)
Distance: 12 million light years (Stoyan)
Rating: * (Stoyan)

 

Map

M 81 (Bode Galaxy) and M 82 (Cigar Galaxy) in Ursa Major (top left) (Image Courtesy of SkySafari Astronomy, www.simulationcurriculum.com)

M 81 (Bode Galaxy) and M 82 (Cigar Galaxy) in Ursa Major (more on the left side...) (Image Courtesy of SkySafari Astronomy, www.simulationcurriculum.com)

 

Sketch

The sketch by Michael Vlasov (DeepSkyWatch.com) provides a rough impression of what I observed (my impression was much fainter than the sketch): Sketch of the Bode galaxies by Michael Vlasov (Copyright © Michael Vlasov 2016)

Note: I only have the author's permission to link to the sketch.

 

My Best Own Photos

eVscope

M 81 (Bode Galaxy; Ursa Major)

         

M 81 - May 5, 2020

 

M 81 - Jun 12, 2020

 

M 81 - Jun 12, 2020

   

M 81 - May 5, 2020, photo on top processed

 

M 81 - Jun 12, 2020, photo on top processed

 

M 81 - Jun 12, 2020, photo on top processed

   

M 81 - Mar 7, 2021

 

M 81 - Mar 8, 2021

 

M 81 - Mar 8, 2021

   

M 81 - Mar 7, 2021, photo on top processed

 

M 81 - Mar 8, 2021, photo on top processed

 

M 81 - Mar 8, 2021, photo on top processed

M 82 (Cigar Galaxy; Ursa Major)

         

M 82 - May 5, 2020

 

M 82 - Jun 12, 2020

 

M 82 - Jun 12, 2020

   

M 82 - May 5, 2020, photo on top processed

 

M 82 - Jun 12, 2020, photo on top processed

 

M 82 - Jun 12, 2020, photo on top processed

   

M 82 - Mar 8, 2021

 

M 82 - Mar 8, 2021

 

M 82 - Mar 8, 2021

   

M 82 - Mar 8, 2021, photo on top processed

 

M 82 - Mar 8, 2021, photo on top processed

 

M 82 - Mar 8, 2021, photo on top processed

ASI294

M 81, M 82, NGC 3077

    

M 81/82 - Apr 18, 2022, processed

 

M 81/82 - Apr 18, 2022, processed, evaluation with nova.astrometry.net

The Bode Galaxies M 81 (Bode Galaxy; at the center) and M 82 (Cigar Galaxy; top right) are accompanied by the galaxy NGC 3077 (top left)
Larger galaxies: M 81, M 82, NGC 3077

Vespera

    

M 81, Jul 31, 2022 - original (16 frames = 160 seconds)

 

M 82, Aug 12, 2022 - original (5 frames = 50 seconds)

 

M 81/82, Jul 31, 2022 - original (59 frames = 590 seconds)

 

M 81/82, Aug 12, 2022 - original (60 frames = 600 seconds)

   

M 81 & NGC 3077, Aug 28, 2022 - original (90 frames = 900 seconds)

   

 

My Own Observations

Observations February/March 2017

Observations May 2017

Observations September 2017

Observations September 2019

Observations February to July 2020

Observations March 2021

Observations July 2021

Observations April 2022

Observations July/August 2022

 

References

On this Site


Appendix: My Own Photos

eVscope

M 81 (Bode Galaxy; Ursa Major)

         

M 81 - Feb 19, 2020

 

M 81 - Feb 19, 2020

 

M 81 - Feb 19, 2020

   

M 81 - Feb 19, 2020, processed

 

M 81 - Feb 19, 2020, processed

 

M 81 - Feb 19, 2020, processed

   

M 81 - Mar 14, 2020

 

M 81 - Mar 14, 2020, processed

 

M 81 - Mar 14, 2020, processed alternatively

   

M 81 - Mar 17, 2020

 

M 81 - Mar 17, 2020

 

M 81 - Mar 25, 2020

   

M 81 - Mar 17, 2020, photo above processed

 

M 81 - Mar 17, 2020, photo above processed

 

M 81 - Mar 25, 2020, photo above processed

   

M 81 - Apr 8, 2020, full moon

  M 81 - Apr 21, 2020  

M 81 - Apr 21, 2020

   

M 81 - Apr 8, 2020, photo on top processed

 

M 81 - Apr 21, 2020, photo on top processed

 

M 81 - Apr 21, 2020, photo on top processed

   

M 81 - May 5, 2020

 

M 81 - Jun 12, 2020

 

M 81 - Jun 12, 2020

   

M 81 - May 5, 2020, photo on top processed

 

M 81 - Jun 12, 2020, photo on top processed

 

M 81 - Jun 12, 2020, photo on top processed

   

M 81 - Mar 7, 2021

 

M 81 - Mar 8, 2021

 

M 81 - Mar 8, 2021

   

M 81 - Mar 7, 2021, photo on top processed

 

M 81 - Mar 8, 2021, photo on top processed

 

M 81 - Mar 8, 2021, photo on top processed

     

M 81 - Jul 29, 2021

 

M 81 - Jul 29, 2021, photo left processed

   

M 82 (Cigar Galaxy; Ursa Major)

         

M 82 - Feb 19, 2020

 

M 82 - Feb 19, 2020

 

M 82 - Feb 19, 2020

   

M 82 - Feb 19, 2020, processed

 

M 82 - Feb 19, 2020, processed

 

M 82 - Feb 19, 2020, processed

   

M 82 - Mar 14, 2020

 

M 82 - Mar 17, 2020

 

M 82 - Mar 25, 2020

   

M 82 - Mar 14, 2020, photo on top processed

 

M 82 - Mar 17, 2020, photo on top processed

 

M 82 - Mar 25, 2020, photo on top processed

     

M 82 - Apr 8, 2020, full moon

  M 82 - Apr 21, 2020    
     

M 82 - Apr 8, 2020, photo left processed

 

M 82 - Apr 21, 2020, photo left processed

   
   

M 82 - May 5, 2020

 

M 82 - Jun 12, 2020

 

M 82 - Jun 12, 2020

   

M 82 - May 5, 2020, photo on top processed

 

M 82 - Jun 12, 2020, photo on top processed

 

M 82 - Jun 12, 2020, photo on top processed

   

M 82 - Mar 8, 2021

 

M 82 - Mar 8, 2021

 

M 82 - Mar 8, 2021

   

M 82 - Mar 8, 2021, photo on top processed

 

M 82 - Mar 8, 2021, photo on top processed

 

M 82 - Mar 8, 2021, photo on top processed

eVscope 2

M 81

    

M 81 - Apr 10, 2022

 

M 81 - Apr 10, 2022, photo left processed

M 82

    

M 82 - Apr 10, 2022

 

M 82 - Apr 10, 2022, photo left processed

ASI294

M 81, M 82, NGC 3077

    

M 81/82 - Apr 18, 2022, processed

 

M 81/82 - Apr 18, 2022, processed, evaluation with nova.astrometry.net

    

M 81/M 82 - Apr 28, 2022, processed

 

M 81/82 - Apr 28, 2022, processed, section

The Bode Galaxies M 81 (Bode Galaxy; at the center) and M 82 (Cigar Galaxy; top right) are accompanied by the galaxy NGC 3077 (top left)
Larger galaxies: M 81, M 82, NGC 3077

Vespera

    

M 81, Jul 31, 2022 - original (16 frames = 160 seconds)

 

M 82 - original (12 frames = 120 seconds; obstacles)

 

M 82, Aug 12, 2022 - original (3 frames = 30 seconds)

 

M 82, Aug 12, 2022 - original (5 frames = 50 seconds)

 

M 81/82, Jul 31, 2022 - original (59 frames = 590 seconds)

 

M 81/82, Aug 12, 2022 - original (60 frames = 600 seconds)

   

M 81 & NGC 3077, Aug 28, 2022 - original (90 frames = 900 seconds)