Spark
Loading...

M82, SN 2014J, and ULX Contrast

← Builds on Object Cards for the 13 Officially Listed Targets

Terms you will need

  • m82M82 is a galaxy where stars are forming at a very high rate, making it a starburst galaxy.
  • sn 2014jSN 2014J is a Type Ia supernova discovered in the galaxy M82, and it was one of the closest such explosions seen in decades.
  • ulxAn ULX is a very bright source of X-rays in space, brighter than most known objects but not as bright as the centers of galaxies.
  • type ia supernovaA Type Ia supernova is a kind of exploding star that happens when a white dwarf in a binary system gains too much mass and explodes.
  • starburst galaxyA starburst galaxy is a galaxy that is forming stars at a much higher rate than most other galaxies.
  • x-ray sourceAn X-ray source is an object in space that emits X-rays, which are a form of high-energy light.

How this topic runs

  1. 1Start here

Figures (10)

University of London Observatory, where SN 2014J was discovered.
Light echo around SN 2014J in M82.[9]
Light curves for SN 2014J in four photometric bands, plotted from data published by Tsvetkov et al. (2018)[17]
A Chandra image of NGC 4485 and NGC 4490: two potential ULXs
Side-by-side Hubble and Very Large Telescope MUSE images of the environment around NGC 1313 X-1. The MUSE RGB image of the nebula carved by the ULX sitting at its center (indicated by a star) is seen in three narrow filters showing oxygen, sulfur and hydrogen emission[9].
The Antennae Galaxies are an example of a starburst galaxy occurring from the collision of NGC 4038/NGC 4039. Credit: NASA/ESA.
Light and dust in a nearby starburst galaxy known as 2MASS J082354.96+280621.6[3]
Artist's impression of a galaxy undergoing a starburst[10]
SBS 1415+437 is a WR galaxy located about 45 million light-years from Earth.[11]
Messier 82 is the prototype nearby starburst galaxy about 12 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major.

M82 is a starburst galaxy, meaning it is forming stars at an unusually high rate. This intense activity is partly due to a past gravitational interaction with the nearby galaxy M81. The galaxy is famous for hosting SN 2014J, a Type Ia supernova discovered in 2014.

This explosion was one of the closest observed in decades and became a key object for studying how these supernovae behave. Students should picture M82 as a galaxy with bright, young stars and active regions where gas is collapsing into new stars. M82 also contains ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs), which are extremely bright X-ray emitters.

These sources are brighter than typical stellar processes and may be powered by unusual objects like intermediate-mass black holes or highly beamed radiation. M82 X-1 is one of the most famous ULXs in the galaxy. SN 2014J was discovered by chance during a university class, showing how important even small telescopes can be in astronomy.

It was bright enough for amateur astronomers to see and became the subject of hundreds of scientific studies. The study of M82, SN 2014J, and ULXs helps scientists understand galaxy evolution, star formation, and the life cycles of stars. These objects are part of a larger picture that includes mergers, supernovae, and the formation of new stars in extreme environments.

Key Points

  • M82 is a starburst galaxy undergoing an exceptionally high rate of star formation due to a close encounter with the nearby spiral galaxy M81.
  • SN 2014J was a Type-Ia supernova discovered in the galaxy M82, notable for being the closest Type-Ia supernova observed in 42 years.
  • An ultraluminous X-ray source (ULX) is an astronomical object that emits X-rays at a luminosity exceeding the Eddington limit of stellar-mass objects.
  • A Type Ia supernova is a type of supernova that results from the thermonuclear explosion of a white dwarf in a binary system.
  • A starburst galaxy is a galaxy undergoing an exceptionally high rate of star formation compared to the long-term average rate of star formation in the galaxy.

Terms

Tap a term for a plain-language explanation.

Sources & licensing(4)