A "true colour" image of the nucleus of M100

Images in the J, H and K bands have been colour-coded blue, green, and red, respectively, and combined together. These images were obtained with IRCAM3 and its 2X magnifier in conditions of excellent seeing (0.3"), and reveal a host of compact star formation regions surrounding the galaxy's nucleus. Dust lanes, which spiral all the way into the nucleus, and partially obscure some of these regions, appear as red-brown patches. Image courtesy of Stuart Ryder (JAC) and Johan Knapen (University of Hertfordshire).