Star Breeding GroundConfetti colors adorn the dwarf galaxy NGC 4214 in a composite picture from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope released Thursday.The galaxy, about ten million light-years from Earth, is roiling with star formation. But astronomers have also seen clusters of much older stars dotted around this "starburst" galaxy, indicating that the current round of star births is not the first to happen in this part of space.And the galaxy's abundant hydrogen—the main ingredient in stars—means that star birth in the region will likely continue far into the future.
Image courtesy ESA/NASA

Space Pictures This Week: Hubble Starburst, Sun Magnetism

Hubble spies star birth, hot gas hovers over the sun, satellites see fires burn in Georgia, and more in the week's best space pictures.

May 14, 2011