Nasa reveals most colourful view of the Universe ever captured
Astronomers using Nasa's venerable space telescope have assembled a colourful and comprehensive image of deep space.
The astounding image is a combination of frames taken over a period of nine years using 11 different filters that shows the stars, nebulae and galaxies that make up our part of the Universe.
Researchers say the image - a composite showing visible and near-infrared light that is snappily named the Hubble Ultra Deep Field 2014 - provides information useful in helping to understand how stars are formed.
Read: Astronomers discover 'most distant galaxy'
Studying the ultraviolet images of galaxies in this intermediate time period enables astronomers to understand how galaxies grew in size by forming small collections of very hot stars. Because Earth's atmosphere filters most ultraviolet light, this work can only be accomplished with a space-based telescope.
The Hubble Space Telescope was launched in 1990 and allows astronomers to study parts of deep space that are difficult to see from inside the Earth's atmosphere.