Admire the image of spiral galaxy NGC 6000 – Where old and young stars shine brightly together

The Hubble Space Telescope has released a stunning image of the spiral galaxy NGC 6000, located about 102 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Scorpius. The shimmering golden core and blue outer arms create a striking contrast between the older, cooler stars at the center and the younger, hotter stars on the outer edges.

The story is told through the colors of the stars

This spiral galaxy boasts a glowing yellow core surrounded by sparkling blue arms. The vibrant colors reflect the differences in the ages, sizes, and temperatures of its stars.

In the center, most of the stars are older and smaller, giving off a warm, yellowish glow. Smaller stars are generally cooler than larger ones, and interestingly, cooler stars appear redder, while hotter stars appear bluer.

On the spiral 'arms' of NGC 6000, young, massive, and brilliant star clusters glow with a distinctive blue glow – a sign that new star-forming regions are in full swing.

Traces left behind after supernova explosions

To capture this image, Hubble observed NGC 6000 as part of a survey of galaxies that have witnessed supernovae. The galaxy has recorded two supernova explosions in recent years: SN 2007ch (in 2007) and SN 2010as (in 2010).

Thanks to its extremely sensitive instruments, Hubble can detect the faint light left behind from these explosions, even after they have died out. Studying this faint light helps astronomers estimate the initial mass of the exploding star and determine whether it once had a companion.

If you look closely at the right side of the galactic disk, you will see four thin streaks of light, alternating between yellow and blue. These are asteroids from the Solar System, which happened to fly across the Hubble telescope's field of view as it was pointing at NGC 6000.

The four streaks of light appear because Hubble took multiple frames in quick succession, each frame separated by a small amount of time, and then stitched together to create the final image. Each exposure used a different light filter – in this case, red and blue – to help scientists compare the star's color and make the asteroid stand out.

This image not only highlights the contrast between old and new generations of stars, but also shows the chaotic yet magical beauty of the universe – where even a passing asteroid contributes to telling the story of the stars.

David Pac

Update 14 October 2025