Central Bulges of Spiral Galaxies (Hubble and Ground-Based Views): This image shows how the barred spiral galaxy NGC 1365 is feeding material into its central region, igniting massive star birth and probably causing its bulge of stars to grow. The material also is fueling a black hole in the galaxy's core. A galaxy's bulge is a central, football-shaped structure composed of stars, gas, and dust. The dark material surrounding the center of the galaxy is gas and dust that is being funneled into the central region by the bar. The blue regions pinpoint young star clusters. This collage of images in visible and infrared light reveals how the barred spiral galaxy NGC 1365 is feeding material into its central region, igniting massive star birth and probably causing its bulge of stars to grow. The material also is fueling a black hole in the galaxy's core. A galaxy's bulge is a central, football-shaped structure composed of stars, gas, and dust.

Name: IRAS 03317-3618, NGC 1365
Type: Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : SpiralLocal Universe : Galaxy : Component : Bulge
Category: Galaxies
Distance: 60 million light years
Release date: 6 October 1999, 15:00
Credit: Allan Sandage (The Observatories of the Carnegie Institution of Washington) and John Bedke (Computer Sciences Corporation and the  Space Telescope Science Institute), NASA, ESA, and Reynier Peletier (University of Nottingham, United Kingdom)

Starry Bulges Yield Secrets to Galaxy Growth (Hubble and Ground-Based View): Astronomers have combined information from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope's visible- and infrared-light cameras to show the hearts of four spiral galaxies peppered with ancient populations of stars. The top row of pictures, taken by a ground-based telescope, represents complete views of each galaxy. The blue boxes outline the regions observed by the Hubble telescope.

Name: NGC 5689, NGC 5838, NGC 5965, NGC 7537
Type: Local Universe : Galaxy : Component : Bulge
Category: Galaxies
Release date: 6 October 1999, 15:00
Credit: Allan Sandage (The Observatories of the Carnegie Institution of Washington) and John Bedke (Computer Sciences Corporation and the  Space Telescope Science Institute), NASA and John Trauger (Jet Propulsion Laboratory), NASA, ESA, and C. Marcella Carollo (Columbia University)

Starry bulges yield secrets to galaxy growth (Hubble WFPC2 view): This visible-light picture is a close-up view of the galaxy's hub. The bright yellow orb is the nucleus. The dark material surrounding the orb is gas and dust that is being funneled into the central region by the bar. The blue regions pinpoint young star clusters.

Name: IRAS 03317-3618, NGC 1365
Type: Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : SpiralLocal Universe : Galaxy : Size : GiantLocal Universe : Galaxy : Component : Bulge
Category: Galaxies
Constellation: Fornax
Distance: 60 million light years
Release date: 6 October 1999, 15:00
Credit: NASA/ESA and John Trauger (Jet Propulsion Laboratory)

Starry bulges yield secrets to galaxy growth (ground-based image): This image shows how the barred spiral galaxy NGC 1365 is feeding material into its central region, igniting massive star birth and probably causing its bulge of stars to grow. The material also is fueling a black hole in the galaxy's core. A galaxy's bulge is a central, football-shaped structure composed of stars, gas, and dust. This infrared image penetrates the dust in the galaxy to reveal more clusters of young stars. The bright blue dots represent young star clusters; the brightest of the red dots are young star clusters enshrouded in dust and visible only in the infrared image. The fainter red dots are older star clusters. This image, taken by a ground-based telescope, displays the entire galaxy NGC 1365. But the telescope's resolution is not powerful enough to reveal the flurry of activity in the galaxy's hub.

Name: IRAS 03317-3618, NGC 1365
Type: Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : SpiralLocal Universe : Galaxy : Size : GiantLocal Universe : Galaxy : Component : Bulge
Category: Galaxies
Constellation: Fornax
Distance: 60 million light years
Release date: 6 October 1999, 15:00
Credit: Allan Sandage (The Observatories of the Carnegie Institution of Washington) and John Bedke (Computer Sciences Corporation and the  Space Telescope Science Institute )