Galaxy NGC 4163

This swarm of stars is the dwarf galaxy NGC 4163, a small but dynamic stellar system located 10 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Canes Venatici (the Hunting Dogs). As a dwarf irregular galaxy, NGC 4163 lacks the organized spiral arms or elliptical shape of larger galaxies, instead displaying a chaotic and asymmetric structure. The irregularly shaped red blobs scattered throughout the galaxy are regions of active star formation, where dense clouds of gas and dust are collapsing to give birth to new generations of stars. These stellar nurseries glow brightly in the characteristic red light of ionized hydrogen gas, heated by the intense ultraviolet radiation from newly formed massive stars. Despite its modest size, NGC 4163 provides astronomers with valuable insights into star formation processes in low-mass galaxies and the role of dwarf galaxies in cosmic evolution.