NGC 1672 collage

In this collage two images of the spiral galaxy NGC 1672 are compared: one showing supernova SN 2017GAX as a small green dot, and the other without. The difference between the images is that both have been created by processing multiple individual Hubble images, each taken to capture a specific wavelength of visible light, and combining them to make a full-colour image. In one of those filtered frames, taken in 2017, the fading supernova is still visible; the second image does not use that frame, instead using some older Hubble data. The result is this spot-the-difference game - a game that astronomers have to play to see supernovae in the first place, and they don’t get a guide!

Also try comparing the two images directly with our slider tool here.

[Image Description: Two images of a spiral galaxy with an oval-shaped disc. It has a bright core and two large arms, containing bright pink patches where stars are forming and dark reddish threads of dust. The top image is labelled "2005". The bottom image is labelled "2017", and a greenish point on the disc's left side is circled and labelled "SN2017 GAX".]