Starburst Galaxy: M82 Puzzle

M82, also known as the Cigar Galaxy and NGC 3034, is a starburst galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major, the Great Bear. Its appearance is due to an interaction with a neighboring galaxy between 500 million and 600 million years ago. M82 lies some 23 million light-years away. Its core is creating stars 10 times faster than our entire galaxy.This richly colored, high-resolution image measures 19″ x 19″ upon completion.Created exclusively forAstronomymagazine by Masterpieces, Inc.*NASA/ESA and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScl/AURA), photo