Messier 82

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/messier-82

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific classification?Starburst galaxy
2. What is the galactic group membership?Second-largest member of the M81 Group
3. What is Messier 82 and why is it called the Cigar Galaxy?Messier 82 is a nearby galaxy that makes stars very quickly. It is called the Cigar Galaxy because it looks long and a bit twisted, like a cigar.
4. How does Messier 82 make stars so quickly?Messier 82 pulls in a lot of gas and dust from its neighbor, Messier 81. The gas rushes into the center, where it collapses and forms new stars very quickly.

Starburst Galaxy: A galaxy characterized by an exceptionally high rate of star formation, often triggered by external interactions.
Tidal Forces: Gravitational forces exerted by a celestial body that vary across its diameter, causing distortion or disruption.
Pulsar: A highly magnetized rotating neutron star that emits beams of electromagnetic radiation.