M81 and M82 are an interesting par of galaxies located in Ursa Major.

Object: M81, NGC3031
Type: Spiral galaxy, type Sb
Constellation: Ursa Major (UMa)
Location: RA: 09h 55m 34s DEC: +69° 04' 00" (E 2000)
Brightness: 6,9
Size: 26.7' x 14.2'

M81 is one of the brightest and most easy to spot galaxies from Messier catalog. There are records of observers who spotted it with naked eye!

M81 is a dominant galaxy in a small galaxy cluster (called M81 Galaxy Cluster), which includes also M82. Distance to the group, based on results of Hubble ST and Hipparcos satellite, is estimated to be 11 - 12 million light years.

M81 was discovered by Johannes Elert Bode on 31 December 1774 and is often called "Bode Galaxy"

Object: M82, NGC3034
Type: Irregular galaxy
Constellation: Ursa Major
Location: RA: 09h 55m 54s DEC: +69° 40' 57" (E 2000)
Brightness: 9,2
Size: 11.3' x 4.3'

M82 is a member of M81 Group. Several million years ago, a close interaction with M81 deformed M82, turning it into "star-burst galaxy", causing frantic star formation and turbulent gas outflows. The bright radio source related to the gas outflow is catalogued as 3C 231. Most of the light radiated by bright stars is absorbed by thick dust, which then re-emits energy in infrared range. M82 is a brightest IR galaxy in a close universe!