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Explanation: Why is the Cigar Galaxy billowing red smoke? M82, as this starburst galaxy is also known, was stirred up by a recent pass near large spiral galaxy M81. This doesn't fully explain the source of the red-glowing outwardly expanding gas and dust, however. Evidence indicates that this gas and dust is being driven out by the combined emerging particle winds of many stars, together creating a galactic superwind. The dust particles are thought to originate in M82's interstellar medium and are actually similar in size to particles in cigar smoke. The featured photographic mosaic highlights a specific color of red light strongly emitted by ionized hydrogen gas, showing detailed filaments of this gas and dust. The filaments extend for over 10,000 light years. The 12-million light-year distant Cigar Galaxy is the brightest galaxy in the sky in infrared light, and can be seen in visible light with a small telescope towards the constellation of the Great Bear (Ursa Major).
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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 - galaxies
Publications with words: M 82 - galaxies
See also:
- APOD: 2025 August 28 B Galaxies, Stars, and Dust
- APOD: 2025 May 7 B Galaxy Wars: M81 versus M82
- 38 Hours in the M81 Group
- APOD: 2025 March 2 B The Hubble Ultra Deep Field in Light and Sound
- APOD: 2024 December 31 B The Twisted Disk of NGC 4753
- APOD: 2024 December 18 B NGC 660: Polar Ring Galaxy
- Stellar Streams in the Local Universe