Messier 81 (also known as NGC 3031 or Bode's Galaxy), Seyfert 2 grand design spiral galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major

Cross-identifications: NGC 3031, LEDA 28630, MCG+12-10-010, Messier 81, Bode's Galaxy, h 649, GC 1949, GC 1953

Coordinates:

RA (2000): 09h 55m 33.17s
Dec (2000): +69°03'55"

M81 (Messier 81, also known as NGC 3031 or Bode's Galaxy) is a grand design spiral galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major.

The distance to M81 has been measured to be 3.63 ± 0.34 Megaparsecs (11.8 ± 1.1 million light years) (Freedman et al. 1994, Freedman et al. 2001). M81 is an interacting galaxy (e.g. Casasola et al. 2004), belonging to the M81 group consisting of 34 members, where the main members are M81, M82 and NGC 3077. M81 is the nearest large spiral galaxy outside the Local Group. The M81 Group, the Local Group, and other nearby groups all lie within the Virgo Supercluster (i.e. the Local Supercluster).
Gravitational interactions of M81 with M82 and NGC 3077[27] have stripped hydrogen gas away from all three galaxies, forming gaseous filamentary structures in the group. Moreover, these interactions have allowed interstellar gas to fall into the centers of M82 and NGC 3077, leading to vigorous star formation or starburst activity there. It is estimated M81 has 210 ± 30 globular clusters.

Charts and image details obtained from Astrometry.net

Image and FOV details

RC 16" Astrograph (IRIDA South dome)

Imaging details