NGC 5668 is located in the constellation Virgo, about 90 million light-years away, and has a very active star formation region. It is forming new stars 60 per cent faster than the Milky Way. This intense star formation also triggers numerous supernova explosions. In this #HubbleFriday image captured by the Hubble Telescope, the surroundings of a supernova explosion observed in 2004 are examined in detail.

Image description:

A spiral galaxy seen up close and face-on. It shines brightly in its yellow, oval-shaped centre, showing older and cooler stars, and blues towards the edge of the disc, where the stars are younger and hotter. It has a series of patchy spiral arms that curve around it and have bright areas where stars are forming. The black background is visible in the corners.

Image credits:

ESA/Hubble & NASA, C. Kilpatrick