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  Messier 81 Galaxy

Messier 81 Galaxy

The spiral arms of the nearby galaxy Messier 81 are highlighted in this NASA Spitzer Space Telescope image. Located in the northern constellation of Ursa Major (which also includes the Big Dipper), this galaxy is easily visible through binoculars or a small telescope. M81 is located at a distance of 12 million light-years.

Because of its proximity, M81 provides astronomers with an opportunity to study the anatomy of a spiral galaxy. The white stars scattered throughout the field of view are foreground stars within our own Milky Way galaxy.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/S. Willner (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)

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