Hubble Telescope Explores the Enigmatic Neighbors of the Milky Way

The Hubble Space Telescope has captured a detailed image of the irregular galaxy ESO 174–1, one of the Milky Way galaxy's closest neighbors. The image reveals a wispy cloud of milky white gas surrounded by bright stars, with other stars and a dark tendril of gas and dust visible within the galaxy. This observation is part of a program to better understand the galactic population of the Milky Way's surroundings. The irregular shape of ESO 174–1 is believed to be the result of interactions or collisions between galaxies, and studying neighboring galaxies can help scientists understand the basic characteristics of local galaxies.