Messier 77
Face-on
spiral galaxy M77
lies a mere 47 million light-years away
toward the aquatic
constellation Cetus.
At that estimated distance,
the gorgeous
island universe is
about 100 thousand light-years across.
Also known as NGC 1068, its compact and very bright core
is well studied
by astronomers exploring the
mysteries of supermassive black holes
in active Seyfert
galaxies.
M77 is also
seen at x-ray, ultraviolet, infrared, and radio wavelengths.
But this sharp visible
light image based on Hubble data follows its winding
spiral arms traced by obscuring dust clouds and
red-tinted star forming regions close in to the galaxy's luminous core.