Messier 82 (also known as NGC 3034, Cigar Galaxy or M82)
is a starburst galaxy about 12 million light-years away
in the constellation Ursa Major. A member of the M81 Group,
it is about five times more luminous than the whole Milky Way
and has a center one hundred times more luminous than our galaxy's center.
The starburst activity is thought to have been triggered by interaction
with neighboring galaxy M81. As the closest starburst galaxy to Earth,
M82 is the prototypical example of this galaxy type.[6] SN 2014J, a
type Ia supernova, was discovered in the galaxy on 21 January 2014.
In 2014, in studying M82, scientists discovered the brightest pulsar
yet known, designated M82