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Credit & Copyright: M. Westmoquette
(UCL),
J. Gallagher
(U. Wisconsin-Madison),
L. Smith
(UCL),
WIYN/NSF,
HST,
NASA/ESA
Explanation:
Star formation occurs at a faster pace in
M82 --
a galaxy with about ten times the rate of massive star birth (and death) compared
to our
Milky Way.
Winds from massive stars and blasts from
supernova explosions have created a billowing cloud of
expanding gas from this remarkable
starburst galaxy.
The
above scientifically
color-coded image highlights the complexity and
origin of the plume by combining a wide field image from the
WIYN Telescope in
Arizona
with a smaller high-resolution image from the orbiting
Hubble Space Telescope.
M82's aspect in optical pictures has led to its popular moniker, the
Cigar Galaxy.
M82's burst of star formation was likely triggered a
mere 100 million years ago in the latest of a
series of bouts with neighboring large galaxy
M81.
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NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: M 82 - wind
Publications with words: M 82 - wind
See also: