Over the last couple of months, Big Amateur Telescope (BAT) members have been extremely busy capturing data on Messier 82. In fact, with 385hrs of data, this image may just be one of the deepest captures ever taken of this starburst galaxy! Thank you for working on the processing for the image @stefan2499 and thank you @MrCrazyPhysicist  for making the animations! But thats not all! Ontop of this, the BAT has also successfully applied "Lucky Imaging" to this data. In short, (no pun intended), tens of thousands of very short exposures of around 0.25-0.5s were taken to reduce the blurring effect of our atmosphere. In the following animation, you can see just how powerful this approach can be.“

Img 1: Comparing CDK 20 data with C 14 Lucky Imaging data

Lucky imaging also enabled us to detect two super clusters in M82. (See image below)
More on this interesting topic can be found here: 31996 1027..1040 (nmsu.edu)

Img 2: Super clusters M82-F and M82-L

Of course, as sharp as the data is, it isn't even close to Hubble's version of M82. However, comparing the two images does show an impressive amount of comparable details. 

Img 3: Comparing Lucky Imaging data from 10 and 14 inch telescopes with the Hubble Space Telesecope

Inspecting the full image however, also yielded interesting results. Just "above" M82, a grey dust cloud can be seen. Considering the vast amount of Integrated Flux Nebula (IFN) in this region, it is quite likely part of our own milkyway. However, often galaxies also have tidal waves. Could this feature also stem from M82? 
Furthermore, the BAT members detected very faint HA signal "below"M82, far outside of the starburst region on M82. According to this article, these are part of the circumgalactic medium of M82. A Giant Shell of Ionized Gas Discovered near M82 with the Dragonfly Spectral Line Mapper Pathfinder - IOPscience

Img 4: Faint details found in the combined data

This project was possible, thanks to a lot of dedication of many BAT members, as well as the incredible weather of this year's spring! 
Thank you for contributing data:
@Konstantin Schäfer (HaRGB: 13.68hrs)
@joelkuiper (HaLRG: 30.5hrs)
@MrCrazyPhysicist (Lucky Imaging 23470x0.25s (1.63hrs), HaLRGB: 14.12hrs)
@Poptart (HaLRGB: 31.91hrs)
@reglogge  (HaLRGB: 29.79hrs)
@Wayne (Ha: 3.8hrs)
@Batman (Ha: 3.85hrs)
@UlrichvonZotmann (Lucky Imaging: ca. 6550x0.5s (0.91hrs), HaLRGB: 132.8hrs)
@Lyaphine (Ha+RGB from a OSC sensor: 92.5hrs)
@Jarinn (HaLRGB: 19hrs)
@Philipp Weber (RGB: 9.85hrs)
@astrobiscuit (Lucky Imaging ca. 7200x0.5s (1hr))

Please check the link below if you are interested in joining the BAT. We are always interested in new members and do monthly group projects encompassing widefield targets, high resolution projects all the way to seasonal mega projects like Hubble's Variable Nebula, as can be seen in our previous Astrobin Post. Membership is free and comes with no obligations other than being friendly and enthusiastic about astrophotography!
https://www.astrobiscuit.com/big-amateur-telescope