Credit: KPNO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/John and Christie Connors/Adam Block

This irregular dwarf galaxy is part of the Canes Venaticorum group of galaxies some 12 million light years away. This galaxy is very similar to our own LMC (Large Magellanic Cloud) in both structure and size. The central part of the galaxy consists of a population of very young stars which extend through the galaxy in a bar formation. Astronomers estimate that these stars are not much older than 5 million years in age. The numerous red regions are the HII regions that are currently forming stars. Massive dark clouds of gas and dust (dark blobs in picture) await future episodes of star formation. Chains of blue outline the baby-boom of stars in this galaxy. This image was taken as part of Advanced Observing Program (AOP) program at Kitt Peak Visitor Center during 2014.

Provider: NOIRLab

Image Source: https://noirlab.edu/public/images/noao-n4449connor/

Curator: NSF's NOIRLab, Tucson, AZ, USA

Image Use Policy: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License