NGC 2442: Galaxy in Volans

Distorted galaxy NGC 2442 can be found in the southern constellation of the flying fish , (Piscis) Volans . Located about 50 million light-years away, the galaxy's two spiral arms extending from a pronounced central bar have a hook-like appearance in wide-field images . But this mosaicked close-up , constructed from Hubble Space Telescope and European Southern Observatory data, follows the galaxy's structure in amazing detail . Obscuring dust lanes, young blue star clusters and reddish star forming regions surround a core of yellowish light from an older population of stars . The sharp image data also reveal more distant background galaxies seen right through NGC 2442's star clusters and nebulae. The image spans about 75,000 light-years at the estimated distance of NGC 2442 .