M81
M81 - Bode's
Galaxy's bright central core at mag 6.8 can be seen easily with
binoculars; it is located between the bucket of the Big Dipper and
Polaris. This 80 minute exposure taken on April 17, 2004 reveals
the fainter spiral arms. Bode's Galaxy is abou 12
million light years away and only about 150,000 light years away from
the irregular galaxy M82, which
was deformed
a few hundred millions years ago by a close encounter with the larger
M81.
