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Sky-Tonight.com / Nebulae / M82

Cigar Galaxy (M82) Observation Details

M82

M82 Daily Motion


M82 will be visible until January, 1, when it will move too close to the Sun. During this time, its proximity to the Sun will cause it to disappear from the night sky, making it unobservable for a while.

M82 Visibility Timetable on December 21

Rise and Set Timetable

TimeElevation
Astrosession begin19:17-13°
M82 rise21:52
Moon Rise, 59.2% illuminated23:218°
M82 transit03:5120°
Astrosession end04:3920°
Civil sunrise05:3218°
Sunrise05:5617°
M82 set09:50
Moon Set11:41-9°

Track M82 Position Throughout the Night

← Sat, 21 December 2024 →

Elevation (degrees)
Time
Altitude
Azimuth
Shift the map to change the time and observe M82 changing position in the night sky.

M82 - Cigar Galaxy

The Cigar Galaxy (M82) is a starburst galaxy located in the constellation Ursa Major. It was discovered by Johann Elert Bode in 1774 and later cataloged by Charles Messier. M82 is undergoing an intense period of star formation and is part of the M81 Group of galaxies.

M82 spans about 37,000 light-years across and contains a massive population of young stars, gas, and dust. The galaxy is approximately 12 million light-years away from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of 8.4, making it visible with binoculars or a small telescope.

M82 Image Gallery

DSS Blue

M82 photo taken with blue filter
These images are valuable for highlighting the presence of younger, hotter stars, which emit more light in the blue wavelengths.

DSS Red

M82 photo taken with red filter
These images are excellent for detecting older, cooler stars, as well as emission nebulae, which glow primarily in the red due to hydrogen alpha emissions.

DSS Near-Infrared

M82 photo taken with Near-Infrared filter
These images can penetrate dust clouds that obscure visible light, revealing structures and objects hidden within.

DSS Composite image

M82 color image
DSS Color images are composite images created by combining the blue, red, and often near-infrared images to produce a full-color representation.

The photos are taken from the Digitized Sky Survey 2 (DSS2), which was produced at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) under NASA contract, using data from the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), the European Southern Observatory (ESO), and the National Geographic Society-Palomar Observatory Sky Survey (POSS II).

Special thanks to the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, and the California Institute of Technology for their significant contributions.

Finder Chart for M82

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Object nameM82
Field of view
Limiting magnitude
M82 coordinates9.93131, 69.67939
Center coordinates9.93131, 69.67939

M82 Passage Through Night

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Current position of M82

Time16:18
Latitude0
Longitude0
M82 elevation-20°
M82 Azimuth-2°
Here you can see the current position of the M82 on the map, as well as its positions for rise and set. This tool allows you to track the M82's movement throughout the night, providing you with accurate and up-to-date information.

Annual motion of M82

Time
DateSun, 22 December 2024
Twighlight start19:14
Twighlight end04:35
Twighlight duration9h 21m
Rise21:48
Set09:46
Elevation at transit20°
Transit time03:47
Equatorial coordinateRA: 09h 55m 52s", Dec: 69° 40' 45s
Magnitude8
ConstellationUrsa Major
The graph illustrates the annual visibility pattern of a M82, providing a comprehensive overview of its daily appearances and transit times throughout the year.
The graph is structured with the vertical axis showing the hours of the day, ranging from 12 AM to 12 AM the next day, while the horizontal axis spans each day of the year.
The reddish shaded area indicates the periods when the M82 is above the horizon, visible to observers. The white line marks the times when the celestial object reaches its highest point in the sky each day, known as the transit.

Data Credits

The nebulae information on this page is sourced from the OpenNGC project, developed by Matteo Verga. OpenNGC provides detailed data on the NGC catalog, which is a valuable resource for exploring deep-sky objects such as nebulae.

For more details or to contribute to OpenNGC, visit the official GitHub repository: OpenNGC on GitHub.