Image 5-7
Spiral Galaxy M81

This is an image of a spiral galaxy known as M81, also known as Bode's Galaxy. It is located in the constellation Ursa Major about 12 million light years from Earth. The center of the galaxy has a distinct yellow glow from older, yellow stars. The spiral arms have a blue glow from younger, hotter stars. The stars are thought to have formed with the past few million years. Astronomers believe that a gigantic black hole with a mass 70 million times that of our Sun lies at the center of this galaxy. It is one of the brightest galaxies that can be seen from Earth.