Yet another galactic spectacle, with fireworks galore, courtesy of Hubble

Messier 94, a relatively nearby galaxy, features two distinct rings of star formation, the result of pressure waves sweeping outward from the core. This 2015 image from the Hubble Space Telescope shows the galaxy’s inner region and starburst ring.

Across a gulf of 70 million light years, the brilliant flare of an exploding star shines like a beacon in the outer reaches of a spiral galaxy, providing tell-tale clues about the expansion rate of the universe.

Peering into the heart of the Milky Way with a powerful infrared camera, astronomers see evidence for a titanic burst of star formation in the relatively recent past.