Hubble image of galaxy and star took 20 years

A new image from the Hubble Space Telescope shows a galaxy and a bright star in the constellation Virgo. Although they look close, they are actually far apart in space. The star is part of our Milky Way galaxy and is about 7,109 light-years away. The spiral galaxy, known as NGC 4900, is much farther at 45 million light-years from Earth. This image is special because it creates an optical illusion. The star appears to overlap with the galaxy, but they are separated by a vast distance. The Hubble took the data for this image using two different instruments over a span of 20 years. The first instrument was installed in 1993 and removed in 2009, while the second has been in use since 2002. Scientists collected the data to study massive stars and their supernova explosions. One research program focused on past supernovas like NGC 4900 to learn about the stars that exploded and how they affect their surroundings. The other program aimed to prepare for future supernovae by documenting nearby galaxies. This ongoing research helps scientists better understand these dramatic cosmic events and their impact on our universe.