Mars-Curiosity - Self Portrait Sun Many small galaxies have more

Many small galaxies have more spectacular starbursts

has a disk that is tidally distorted into a rose-like shape by the gravitational tidal pull of the companion galaxy below it

This image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows what lies near the sword of the constellation Orion - an active stellar nursery containing thousands of young stars and developing protostars

2 Earth days

Images of other parts of IC 1396 are also available in this gallery

Mars-Curiosity - Self Portrait Sun Many small galaxies have moreThis self portrait of NASA's Mars rover Curiosity combines dozens of exposures taken by the rover's Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) during the 177th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars (Feb. 3, 2013), plus three exposures taken during Sol 270 (May 10, 2013) to update the appearance of part of the ground beside the rover. The updated area, which is in the lower left quadrant of the image, shows gray powder and two holes where Curiosity used