Starscape Imaging

ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY BY  JON TALBOT

M81_M82

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Click here for highest resolution (large file)

Click this link for a Black and White stretched enhancment of the Integrated Flux Nebula



M81,M82 and the integrated flux nebula

About this Object
M81 and M82 are two wonderfully contrasting galaxy's in Ursa Major. M81 is a grand spiral with many blue star forming regions and reddish nebula regions. M82, in contrast is a very active "starburst" type galaxy. Its thought that M82 had a close encounter with M81 some 50 to 100 million years ago.. This interaction is causing star formation to be accelerated in comparison to other galaxies. In infared light, M82 is the brightest galaxy in the sky. M82 is brighter in infared than in visible light. The hubble space telescope has images newly formed globular cluster around M82. In the background of this image is a large cloud of dust. This cloud of dust is part of a very large dust complex which went un-noticed for many years. Recently Steve Mandel saw these dusty areas on images he took and started a project to catalogue these mostly unknown dusty regions. He coined the name "Integrated Flux Nebula" meaning that that these dust clouds are being illuminated by the integrated visual and UV flux of the Milky Way instead of by a nearby bright star like other reflection nebula. Please see this link to Steve's site describing these dust clouds.http://www.galaxyimages.com/UNP1.html This image was taken at the Winter Star Party in the FL Keys. Along wth the high resolution color image, I included a link to a heavily enhance black and white image showing the extent of the integrated flux nebula.I
Image Details

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