In the northwest section of Ursa Major the Great Bear sits the magnificent spiral galaxy M81 (NGC 3031). At magnitude 6.9, this ranks as one of the sky's brightest galaxies. You'll find it 2° ...

Bode’s Big Night. On December 31, 1774, Johann E. Bode discovered both M81 and M82. In 1779, Pierre Mechain independently ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Bode's Galaxy (M81) can be ...

When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Bode's Galaxy is an example of a 'grand design' spiral galaxy, featuring sweeping spiral arms and ...

The galaxies are found about 12 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Ursa Major When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.