M33, NOAO
M33 is a nearby example of a spiral galaxy. It is only slightly inclined to our line of sight such that we can see both structure in the spiral arms, and the central bulge. Observations of galaxies like these can help us determine the structure of our own Galaxy, the Milky Way.

This image shows M33 in ordinary optical light, as seen by the 0.9-m telescope situated at the Kitt Peak National Observatory near Tucson, Arizona. The pink blobs in this image are clouds of hydrogen gas where new stars are forming.

Image credit: T. A. Rector & M. Hanna, NOAO, AURA, NSF