Hubble sees sparkling snow globe in space | Check out this image

This latest cosmic landscape from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows billions of stars shining in the galaxy UGC 8091, creating a cosmic snow globe.

UGC 8091 is a dwarf galaxy that lies nearly 7 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Virgo. The galaxy lacks an orderly spiral or elliptical appearance, therefore it is classified as an irregular galaxy.

The stars that make up this celestial gathering look more like a brightly shining tangle of string lights than a galaxy.

The image, created using data from Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) and the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) from 2006 to 2021, provides a unique perspective by combining twelve camera filters. These filters span the mid-ultraviolet to the red end of the visible spectrum, revealing the rich tapestry of cosmic hues.

The composite image also features a diverse array of distant galaxies in the background, thanks to Hubble's razor-sharp view.

Astronomers are delving into the mysteries of dwarf galaxies and their stars to uncover the evolutionary links between these ancient galaxies and more modern galaxies like our own.

Billions of stars shine in the galaxy UGC 8091, creating a cosmic snow globe! ❄️This galaxy is located about 7 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo. Find out more: https://t.co/KN0dS3UNRs#HappyHolidays from Hubble! pic.twitter.com/PU0tpHS4TZ

— Hubble (@NASAHubble) December 20, 2023