Zooming into the Cosmos: Sharpest-Ever Image of Sculptor Galaxy Unveiled

Astronomers have captured the most detailed and colourful image of the Sculptor Galaxy (NGC 253), located 11 million light-years from Earth. Similar in size and shape to the Milky Way, the galaxy was observed for over 50 hours using ESO’s MUSE instrument, resulting in a stitched image spanning 65,000 light-years and containing thousands of colours. This reveals detailed information about stars, gas, and dust, including their age and motion. The image has helped identify 500 new planetary nebulae and gas shells from dying stars. Scientists aim to study star formation and gas composition changes using this ultra-detailed map.