Turbulent Cauldron of Starbirth in Nearby Active Galaxy

The picture is a mosaic of two Hubble Space Telescope images taken with the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 , on Aug. 1, 1997 and Jan. 10, 1998. The approximately natural colour is assembled from images taken in blue, green and red light. Details as small as seven light-years across can be resolved. The blue colour is due to the light from extremely hot, newborn stars. The reddish-yellow colour is due in part to hot gas, in part to older stars in the elliptical galaxy and in part to scattering of blue light by dust -- the same effect that produces brilliant orange sunsets on Earth.