M81

12 million light-years

This image in ultraviolet light reveals the intense region of young, hot stars in the spiral arms of M81. Less than 100 million years old, the young stars are blue in this image from NASA's GALEX satellite and are seen to be well separated from the older yellow stars of the galactic core. A neighbouring galaxy to M81 can be seen to the left.

Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, Galex Team, J. Huchra et al. (Harvard CfA).