Hubble photographs grand design spiral galaxy M81: The sharpest image ever taken of the large "grand design" spiral galaxy M81 is being released today at the American Astronomical Society Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii.A spiral-shaped system of stars, dust, and gas clouds, the galaxy's arms wind all the way down into the nucleus. Though the galaxy is located 11.6 million light-years away, the Hubble Space Telescope's view is so sharp that it can resolve individual stars, along with open star clusters, globular star clusters, and even glowing regions of fluorescent gas. The Hubble data was taken with the Advanced Camera for Surveys in 2004 through 2006. This colour composite was assembled from images taken in blue, visible, and infrared light.

Name: Messier 81
Type: Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Spiral
Category: Galaxies
Constellation: Ursa Major
Distance: 12 million light years
Release date: 28 May 2007, 21:30
Credit: NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA). Acknowledgment: A. Zezas and J. Huchra (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)

Hubble photographs grand design spiral galaxy M81: The sharpest image ever taken of the large "grand design" spiral galaxy M81 is being released today at the American Astronomical Society Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii.A spiral-shaped system of stars, dust, and gas clouds, the galaxy's arms wind all the way down into the nucleus. Though the galaxy is located 11.6 million light-years away, the Hubble Space Telescope's view is so sharp that it can resolve individual stars, along with open star clusters, globular star clusters, and even glowing regions of fluorescent gas. The Hubble data was taken with the Advanced Camera for Surveys in 2004 through 2006. This colour composite was assembled from images taken in blue, visible, and infrared light.

Name: Messier 81
Type: Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Spiral
Category: Galaxies
Constellation: Ursa Major
Distance: 12 million light years
Release date: 28 May 2007, 21:30
Credit: NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA). Acknowledgment: A. Zezas and J. Huchra (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)

Hubble photographs grand design spiral galaxy M81: The sharpest image ever taken of the large "grand design" spiral galaxy M81 is being released today at the American Astronomical Society Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii.A spiral-shaped system of stars, dust, and gas clouds, the galaxy's arms wind all the way down into the nucleus. Though the galaxy is located 11.6 million light-years away, the Hubble Space Telescope's view is so sharp that it can resolve individual stars, along with open star clusters, globular star clusters, and even glowing regions of fluorescent gas. The Hubble data was taken with the Advanced Camera for Surveys in 2004 through 2006. This colour composite was assembled from images taken in blue, visible, and infrared light.

Name: Messier 81
Type: Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Spiral
Category: Galaxies
Constellation: Ursa Major
Distance: 12 million light years
Release date: 28 May 2007, 21:30
Credit: NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA). Acknowledgment: A. Zezas and J. Huchra (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)

Hubble photographs grand design spiral galaxy M81: The sharpest image ever taken of the large "grand design" spiral galaxy M81 is being released today at the American Astronomical Society Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii.A spiral-shaped system of stars, dust, and gas clouds, the galaxy's arms wind all the way down into the nucleus. Though the galaxy is located 11.6 million light-years away, the Hubble Space Telescope's view is so sharp that it can resolve individual stars, along with open star clusters, globular star clusters, and even glowing regions of fluorescent gas. The Hubble data was taken with the Advanced Camera for Surveys in 2004 through 2006. This colour composite was assembled from images taken in blue, visible, and infrared light.

Name: Messier 81
Type: Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Spiral
Category: Galaxies
Constellation: Ursa Major
Distance: 12 million light years
Release date: 28 May 2007, 21:30
Credit: NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA). Acknowledgment: A. Zezas and J. Huchra (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)

Hubble/GALEX/Spitzer Composite Image of M81: This image combines data from the Hubble Space Telescope, the Spitzer Space Telescope and the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) missions. The GALEX ultraviolet data were from the far-UV portion of the spectrum (135 to 175 nanometres). The Spitzer infrared data were taken with the IRAC 4 detector (8 microns). The Hubble data were taken at the blue portion of the spectrum.

Name: Bode's Galaxy, Messier 81
Type: Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Spiral
Category: Galaxies
Constellation: Ursa Major
Distance: 12 million light years
Release date: 28 May 2007, 21:30
Credit: NASA, ESA and A. Zezas (Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics); GALEX data: NASA, JPL-Caltech, GALEX Team, J. Huchra et al. (Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics); Spitzer data: NASA/JPL/Caltech/Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics.

Detailed images of spiral galaxy M81: Hubble's high-resolution images of distinct regions contained within M81 illustrate various structures contained within the spiral galaxy. [Left] A string of star-forming regions show along a spiral arm, their glowing hydrogen gas appears green in color. A denser concentration of dust is visible along the arms. [Middle] The inner bulge and nucleus of M81 is relatively structure free, except for fine dust lanes that wind into the center. Several whitish-colored concentrations of stars, known as globular clusters are easily visible. [Right] Interspersed within the active spiral arms are areas of new star formation. Here, associations of hot blue stars have formed. These massive stars' lifetimes are relatively short compared to the overall age of the galaxy. Their existence and inevitable death will help to enrich the surrounding area with heavier elements which will in turn make more robust, longer-living stars.

Name: Bode's Galaxy, Messier 81
Type: Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : SpiralLocal Universe : Galaxy : Component : Spiral ArmLocal Universe : Galaxy : Component : Bulge
Category: Galaxies
Distance: 12 million light years
Release date: 28 May 2007, 21:30
Credit: NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA). Acknowledgment: A. Zezas and J. Huchra (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)

Spiral Galaxy M81 Details 1: Inner bulge and nucleus of M81.

Name: Bode's Galaxy, Messier 81
Type: Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : SpiralLocal Universe : Galaxy : Component : Bulge
Category: Galaxies
Constellation: Ursa Major
Distance: 12 million light years
Release date: 28 May 2007, 21:30
Credit: NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA). Acknowledgment: A. Zezas and J. Huchra (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)

Spiral Galaxy M81 Details 2: Southern arm of M81 including a chain of HII regions.

Name: Bode's Galaxy, Messier 81
Type: Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : SpiralLocal Universe : Galaxy : Component : Spiral Arm
Category: Galaxies
Constellation: Ursa Major
Distance: 12 million light years
Release date: 28 May 2007, 21:30
Credit: NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA). Acknowledgment: A. Zezas and J. Huchra (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)

Spiral Galaxy M81 Details 3.: OB Associations in outer northern arm of M81.

Name: Bode's Galaxy, M 81, Messier 81
Type: Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : SpiralLocal Universe : Galaxy : Component : Spiral Arm
Category: Galaxies
Constellation: Ursa Major
Distance: 12 million light years
Release date: 28 May 2007, 21:30
Credit: NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA). Acknowledgment: A. Zezas and J. Huchra (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)