Zoom in on Elliptical Galaxy ESO 306-17 | Hubble

Zoom in on Elliptical Galaxy ESO 306-17 | Hubble

When zooming in closely on ESO 306-17, one can see faint clusters of stars through the bright shine of the galaxy's large halo. These are globular clusters—tightly bound groups of stars that can often fend off cannibalism from larger, "bully" galaxies. Studying these surrounding clusters will prove helpful to astronomers in their pursuit to put the pieces of ESO 306-17's history together.

Distance: 500 million light years

Credit: European Space Agency (ESA)/Hubble

Duration: 56 seconds

Release Date: February 17, 2016

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