Bode’s Galaxy (M81)

Bright grand-design spiral locked in a gravitational duel with its starburst neighbor M82.

Core Principles & Analysis

• Johann Elert Bode found it in 1774; it now anchors the nearby M81 galaxy group.
• A close pass with M82 tens of millions of years ago threw both galaxies into their present states.
• Supernova SN 1993J in M81 was one of the brightest of the twentieth century.

Specifications & Metrics

• GALAXY TYPE: Grand-design spiral (SA(s)ab)
• DISTANCE: 12 million light-years
• DIAMETER: ~90,000 light-years