Spitzer Unveils a Cosmic "Cigar": Messier 82

M82-ir
spitzer_ssc2006-09a1 March 16, 2006

Creator: Spitzer Space Telescope, Pasadena, CA, USA

Image Source: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/1582-ssc2006-09a1-Spitzer-Unveils-a-Cosmic-Cigar-Messier-82

This image shows an infrared view from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope of the galaxy Messier 82. A visible-light picture of the "Cigar" galaxy, also called Messier 82, shows only a bar of light against a dark patch of space. Longer exposures of the galaxy (not pictured here) have revealed cone-shaped clouds of hot gas above and below the galaxy's plane. It took Spitzer's three sensitive instruments to show that the galaxy is also surrounded by a huge, hidden halo of smoky dust (red in infrared image).

The infrared image above was taken by Spitzer's infrared array camera. The dust particles (red) are being blown out into space by the galaxy's hot stars (blue).

Spitzer's infrared spectrograph told astronomers that the dust contains a carbon-containing compound, called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. This smelly molecule can be found on Earth in tailpipes, barbecue pits and other places where combustion reactions have occurred.

Messier 82 is located about 12 million light-years away in the Ursa Major constellation. It is viewed from its side, or edge on, so it appears as a thin cigar-shaped bar. The galaxy is termed a starburst because its core is a fiery hotbed of stellar birth. A larger nearby galaxy, called Messier 81, is gravitationally interacting with Messier 82, prodding it into producing the new stars.

The infrared picture was taken as a part of the Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxy Survey. Blue indicates infrared light of 3.6 microns, green corresponds to 4.5 microns, and red to 5.8 and 8.0 microns. The contribution from starlight (measured at 3.6 microns) has been subtracted from the 5.8- and 8-micron images to enhance the visibility of the dust features.

Image Use Policy: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/info/18-Image-Use-Policy

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Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
Cigar Galaxy Messier 82 M82 NGC 3034
Subject - Local Universe
Galaxy » Activity » Starburst

Distance

Universescale2
11,700,000 light years

Position Details

M82-ir
Position (ICRS)
RA = 9h 56m 26.5s
DEC = 69° 42’ 19.3”
Orientation
North is 49.9° CCW
Field of View
10.7 x 8.7 arcminutes
Constellation
Ursa Major

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Arrow_left_blue Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Near-IR) 3.6 µm
Arrow_left_green Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Near-IR) 4.5 µm
Arrow_left_red Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Mid-IR) 5.8 µm
Arrow_left_red Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Mid-IR) 8.0 µm
The contribution from starlight has been subtracted from the 5.8 and 8.0 micron channels to enhance the visibility of dust features.
Spectrum_base
Arrow_top_blue
Arrow_top_green
Arrow_top_red
Arrow_top_red