Galaxies M81 and M82. Optical image of the spiral galaxy M81 (centre) and the smaller irregularly shaped M82 (centre top). These galaxies lie around 1

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Galaxies M81 and M82. Optical image of the spiral galaxy M81 (centre) and the smaller irregularly shaped M82 (centre top). These galaxies lie around 12 million light years from the Earth in the constellation Ursa Major. M81 is thought to contain around 250 billion stars, making it slightly smaller than our own galaxy, the Milky Way.

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Size: 6563px × 3997px
Photo credit: © DAVIDE DE MARTIN/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 81, 82, 3031, astronomical, astronomy, astrophysical, astrophysics, birth, bodes, cigar, evolution, formation, galactic, galaxies, galaxy, m81, m82, major, messier, ngc, object, space, spiral, star, starbirth, stars, stellar, telescope, universe, ursa