Spiral Galaxy NGC 3370

Amid a backdrop of far-off galaxies, the majestic dusty spiral NGC 3370 looms in the foreground of this picture. The image shows intricate spiral arm structure spotted with hot areas of new star formation. This galaxy was home to one of the best-observed supernovas since the age of digital detectors. It was a type Ia supernova, used to chart the growth rate of the expanding universe. The observations contributed to the discovery that the expansion of the universe is accelerating, leading to the possibility that an unknown "dark energy" is propelling the expansion.