M81 Bodes Galaxy

M81 is at a distance of about 12 million light years (21x10, magnitude 6.9). The faint galaxy at the left hand edge of the image is PGC 2726822(0.5x0.3, magnitude 16.9). At the right hand side is PGC 28505. There is also a very faint edge on spiral galaxy at the bottom right. To see these faint galaxies more clearly, I have stretched the image: M81 Deep Field (1600x1200 211k)

About half way between M81 and PGC 2726822 is the satellite galaxy Holmberg IX. It was discovered in 1959 and is an irregular dwarf galaxy very similar to our own Magellanic Clouds. It can be seen at the centre of this crop of the stretched image.

PGC 2726822 is on the left, Holmberg IX is the centre and the edge of M81 can be see on the right.

For more information, try: www.seds.org/messier/m/m081.html