Hubble Space Telescope
NGC 5468 brings the drama. This stunning spiral galaxy has given Hubble a front-row seat to some of the universe's most dramatic events. Despite being 130 million light-years away, this galaxy's face-on orientation makes it easier for Hubble to spot supernovae – the explosive deaths of massive stars. NGC 5468 has hosted both of the two common types of supernovae. One type occurs when a big star runs out of fuel at the end of its life, causing it to become unstable and unable to support its own bulk, leading it to collapse inward and violently explode. The other type happens when a white dwarf (the dense remnant of a dying star) within an orbiting stellar pair siphons more mass off its companion than it is able to support, igniting runaway nuclear fusion in its core and beginning the supernova process. Both types result in an intensely bright explosion that can rival the light of a whole galaxy! Image description: A spiral galaxy with a hazy yellow core fills the image. Spiral arms extend outward, full of white and blue stars. Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, W. Li et al. #NASA #Hubble #telescope #galaxy #space #science #stars #universe #astronomy
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