This week’s space image was captured by the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Euclid space telescope, launched in July 2023. The is the first batch of data being released as part of the space telescope’s mission to map the universe.
Here is the ESA’s explanation of what you are seeing:
As part of this very large data release, Euclid observed the core of the Messier 81 galaxy group…The haze dominating the right side of the frame is the star-filled disc of Messier 81, the largest galaxy in the group. It shows how Euclid clearly captured individual stars within this disc. Many background galaxies are visible across this image, including red-hued galaxies lying far from us and distant spirals with blue swirling arms. The loose collection of blue stars seen just left of centre is a dwarf irregular galaxy known as Holmberg IX. Gravitational interactions between Messier 81 and Messier 82 may have sparked star formation in this galaxy. The Messier 81 galaxy group lies around 12 million light-years away from us.
