Galaxy's 'burning ring of fire' is frenetic region of star formation
Thursday, May 16, 2013 - 16:31
in Astronomy & Space
Johnny Cash may have preferred this galaxy's burning ring of fire to the one he sang about falling into in his popular song. The "starburst ring" seen at center of a new image in red and yellow hues is not the product of love, as in the song, but is instead a frenetic region of star formation. The galaxy, a spiral beauty called Messier 94, is located about 17 million light-years away.