Starburst ring lights up the heart of a spiral galaxy

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features a dazzling spiral galaxy lighting up the constellation Cepheus.  Known as NGC 6951, the galaxy sits roughly 70 million light-years away and shows off a rich collection of cosmic features that make astronomers look twice.  From its graceful, looping arms to the glowing heart at its center, this galaxy has a story to tell about how stars are born and how galactic structure shapes their lives. A closer look at a cosmic...