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M81 group
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M81 and M82 M81, spiral galaxy in Ursa Major Figure 7: Omega Centauri (M3), the most imposing globular cluster in the Milky Way Galaxy.
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M81 and M82
M81 and M82 Spiral galaxy M81 (bottom) and irregular galaxy M82 (top), as seen in ultraviolet light by the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) satellite.

M81 group

astronomy
Written by
Frank H. Shu
Professor of Physics, University of Calfornia, San Diego. Author of The Physical Universe.
Frank H. Shu
Fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
History

M81 group, group of more than 40 galaxies found at a distance of 12 million light-years from Earth, one of the nearest galaxy groups to the Local Group (the group of galaxies that includes the Milky Way Galaxy). The dominant galaxy in the M81 group is the spiral galaxy M81. Much like the Andromeda and Milky Way galaxies, M81 is of Hubble type Sb and luminosity class II. There are two subgroups in the M81...

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