APOD: 2022 July 31 - Starburst Galaxy M94 from Hubble

Good morning, Rallypoint, and welcome to the July 31st edition of Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD): "Starburst Galaxy M94 from Hubble." M94 lies 15 million light years away in the constellation Canes Venatici (Hunting Dogs) and has appeared regularly in APOD since 1995. This image was first published in 2015. What intrigues researchers about M94 is its distinct ring of massive, blue, and newly formed (age < 10 million years) stars. Theories suggest that the ring of stars is likely propagating outward, having been triggered by the gravity and rotation of matter about the galactic center. And it is pretty. I don't know if M94 is on the Webb Telescope's dance card, but I hope so. It would be interesting to see how the 'starburst' theory holds up under scrutiny.