Bruce Kamiat - Sketch of M81/M82

Vermont

Bruce Kamiat: The M81/M82 galaxy group drawn as seen through my 6" f/5 Newtonian telescope in a very dark Vermont mountain sky. I have included a low-power view (30X through a 26 mm Plössl) to show both galaxies together in the same telescopic field and detail views of each at the bottom (60X through a 13 mm Plössl).

On the lower right, note the bright, concentrated nucleus of M81, which harbors a supermassive black hole. Just the faintest hint is the most I can see of the spiral-arm structure in my 6" telescope. These galaxies are about 11 million light years away in the direction of Ursa Major.

© Bruce Kamiat.