| Abstract: | Photographic photometric measurements of 2 arcsec resolution of the central regions of M82 are presented in the three colours U, B, V. The observed light is decomposed into two parts: stellar light and light from the central source scattered by dust. The variation of the reddening of both components is derived. The dust distribution pattern is different near the spatial centre of M82 and farther out. The equator of the dust complex obscuring the central source is inclined to the overall symmetry plane of M82. The outer dust clouds responsible for the obscuration of the visible stellar light are probably arranged in a spiral-like fashion; the “plane” containing these clouds is strongly warped and distrubed. The light of the bright knots A and C consists to a considerable part of scattered light from the central source nearly behind them. Hα light and scattered continuum light is strongly correlated in M82, pointing to an ionisation of the gas by the source of this continuum in addition to the presence of scattered Hα. |
