This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope photo shows the majestic spiral galaxy M81.

In the midsts of this galaxy is the supernova 1993J which was recently found to have a companion star which had been hidden in the glow of the supernova for 21 years. The location of the supernova can be seen in the annotated version of this image.

Links:

• NASA Press release
• Artist's impression of supernova 1993J
• Supernova 1993J in spiral galaxy M81
• Supernova 1993J
• Scenario for Type IIb supernova 1993J

Credit:
NASA/ESA and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)

This diagram presents evidence for the existence of a stratosphere on a planet orbiting another star. As on Earth, the stratosphere increases in temperature with altitude. The water emissions from the Jupiter-sized planet's upper atmosphere show this. The results are in marked contrast to the spectrum of a failed star, a brown dwarf, which shows water absorption because the atmosphere is cooling with altitude increase.

Links:

• NASA Press Release
• Artist's impression of WASP-121b

Credit:
NASA/ESA and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)

This is an artist's concept of the exoplanet WASP-12b. It is the hottest known planet in the Milky Way galaxy, and potentially the shortest lived. The planet is only 3.2 million kilometres from its sunlike parent star — a fraction of Earth's distance from the Sun. Gravitational tidal forces from the star stretch the planet into an egg shape. The planet is so hot that it has puffed up to the point where its outer atmosphere spills onto the star. An accretion bridge streams toward the star and material is smeared into a swirling disc. The planet may be completely devoured by the star in 10 million years. The planet is too far away for the Hubble Space Telescope to photograph, but this interpretation is based in part on analysis of Hubble spectroscopic and photometric data.

Credit:
NASA/ESA and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)