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Messier 81, commonly known as Bode’s Galaxy, is a striking grand-design spiral galaxy located about 12 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major. One of the brightest galaxies visible from Earth, M81 can be seen with binoculars under dark skies as a soft oval glow, while telescopes reveal its bright, concentrated core and well-defined spiral arms. These arms show intricate dust lanes and regions of active star formation, giving the galaxy a classic spiral appearance. M81 is the dominant member of the M81 Group of galaxies and is gravitationally interacting with nearby companions, most notably Messier 82. These interactions have influenced its structure and star-forming activity, making Bode’s Galaxy a favorite target for both visual observers and astrophotographers.
Technical Details
Telescope: Celestron C8 SCT (8″ Schmidt-Cassegrain) with Celestron 0.63 Focal Reducer
Auto Focus: Celestron Electronic Auto Focuser
Astronomy Camera: ZWO ASI533MC Pro
Filter: Optolong UV-IR cut filter; 1200 exposures @ 60 seconds each (20 hours)
Total Integration Time: 20 hours
Off-Axis Auto Guiding: ZWO OAG-L
Auto Guiding Camera: ZWO ASI174MM Mini Guide Camera
Auto Guiding Software: PHD2
Telescope Mount: Sky- Watcher EQ6-R Pro
Telescope Computer: BeeLink GK-55 Mini PC / Windows 10 Pro
Wireless Communication: GL-iNEt Beryl Travel Router
Telescope Control & Image Capture Software: Nighttime Imaging ‘N’ Astronomy (N.I.N.A.)
Image Integration Software: Astro Pixel Process, by Aries Productions
Image Post Processing Software: PixInsight, by Pleiades Astrophoto
Images captured in Palm Springs, CA during February 2023. Dark sky classification = Bright suburban sky (Bortle 6)