In this wide-field image, the center of the galaxy is on the left, surrounded by dark clouds of gas, which make several "rings" of spiral arms around the center that extend farther and farther out to the right, filled with white stars in between.

C65 – The Sculptor Galaxy

A close-up view from Hubble shows that NGC 253 is ablaze with the light from thousands of young, blue stars. The spiral galaxy is undergoing intense star formation. This image, taken with Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys, reveals colors and differing intensities of individual stars as well dark filaments of dust and gas interstellar dust intersperced among the stars. NGC 253 is the dominant galaxy in the Sculptor Group of galaxies and resides about 13 million light-years from Earth.

Credits: NASA, ESA, J. Dalcanton and B. Williams (University of Washington), T.A. Rector/University of Alaska Anchorage, T. Abbott, and NOAO/AURA/NSF
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Image CreditNASA, ESA, J. Dalcanton and B. Williams (University of Washington), T.A. Rector/University of Alaska Anchorage, T. Abbott, and NOAO/AURA/NSF
Size640x163px