                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                2026 April 17

                   M82: Starburst Galaxy with a Superwind
                  Image Credit & Copyright: Arnaud Malleval

   Explanation: Messier 82 is a starburst galaxy with a superwind. In
   fact, through supernova explosions and powerful winds from massive
   stars, the burst of star formation in M82 is driving a prodigious
   outflow. Evidence for the superwind from the galaxy's central regions
   is clear in the sharp telescopic portrait. The composite image includes
   33 hours of narrowband data, highlighting emission from long outflow
   filaments of atomic hydrogen gas in reddish hues. Some of the gas in
   the superwind, enriched in heavy elements forged in the massive stars,
   will eventually escape into intergalactic space. Triggered by a close
   encounter with nearby large galaxy M81, the furious burst of star
   formation in M82 should last about 100 million years or so. Also known
   as the Cigar Galaxy for its elongated visual appearance, M82 is about
   30,000 light-years across. It lies 12 million light-years away near the
   northern boundary of Ursa Major.

                        Tomorrow's picture: just dust
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.
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