M82 / NCC3034
Object Info

Most galaxies are either sprial or elliptical in structure with condensed central cores. M82 is an example of an irregular class of galaxies. It has a disturbed structure the cause of which is a subject for debate among astronomers. One scenario posits that a nearly head-on collision has resulted in two large black holes orbiting each other in a gravitational tug-of-war.

M81, M82 and a few other galaxies in the same general area are gravitationally associated (see Object Tech window). It is interesting that nearly half of the known M81/M82 Association galaxies are irregular. If all are due to collisions resulting in mergers, the galaxy density must have been very high in the past.

Many irregular galaxies are also bright infrared sources; M82 is the brightest in the northern hemisphere. All discrete stellar objects in this image are stars located in our "Milky Way" galaxy, not in M82.