M82, M81

The big spiral galaxy on the left is M82.  The much larger one on the right is M81.  To the right of M81 is another dim spiral galaxy, PGC 28731, probably a satellite of M81.  On the bottom right is NGC 3077, classed as a spiral but looking quite elliptical.  Other, smaller galaxies abound.  Just below M81 is Holmberg IX, a small satellite of M81.  Just below and to the right of M82 is PGC 3097961, magnitude 17.60 smudge of an elliptical.  Between M82 and M81 at the very top of the frame is UGC 5247, a faraway spiral.

Just above and to the left of M82 is a congregation of tiny smudges that constitute a cluster of galaxies.  The brightest members are dimmer than 17 magnitude: PGC 2732102 and PGC 2732338.

Scattered throughout the area are clouds of dust in our own galaxy.  Galactic cirrus, we call them, but they are relatively local.

The M81-82 group we suspect is about 12 million light years away.  The galaxy clusters above and left of M82 may be hundreds of millions of light years away.

This image is 68x900" of Luminance from the dark, dark skies of Deep Sky West.  The image has been re-sized to 50% less to handle the blog format.