the "grand design" spiral galaxy NGC 6118, at a distance of 80 million light-years
This new picture of galaxy NGC 6118 caught two interesting sidelights -- an exploded star and a passing satellite.
The satellite, which orbits Earth and passed in front of the telescope's view while the image was being made, shows up as a faint blue streak.
The exploded star is named supernova 2004dk. It was first reported in August and is noted on the image here. The supernova resulted from the demise of a massive star.
Looking very much like our Milky Way would from afar, NGC 6118 is called a "grand design" spiral galaxy. It is about 80 million light-years away in the southern constellation Serpens, the Snake. Bright bluish knots are active star-forming regions; in some, individual bright young stars can be seen.
The image was made with the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile.
-- SPACE.com Staff
Credit: ESO/VLT
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