Messier 82 (The Cigar Galaxy)

starburst galaxy · space telescope · cosmic neighbor

Extreme star factory. Messier 82 is making new stars at a furious rate in its central region, which burns about 100 times brighter than the center of our Milky Way. It earned the nickname Cigar Galaxy because of its long, thin shape.

Triggered by a galactic bump. The intense star-making activity was likely set off when nearby galaxy M81 passed close by and gravitationally nudged it, like a cosmic collision that stirred things up.

One of the closest starburst galaxies. At just 12 million light-years away, M82 is the nearest starburst galaxy to Earth, making it the perfect example for scientists to study how these cosmic power plants work.

Hosted a spectacular explosion. In January 2014, astronomers spotted a Type Ia supernova (a massive stellar explosion) happening inside M82, giving scientists a rare chance to watch this cosmic drama unfold.

Home to an ultra-bright pulsar. Scientists discovered M82 X-2, the brightest pulsar ever found, spinning in this galaxy. Pulsars are the ultra-dense, rapidly spinning remains of dead stars.