NGC 1365, a barred spiral galaxy

This image shows how the barred spiral galaxy NGC 1365 is feeding material into its central region, igniting massive star birth and probably causing its bulge of stars to grow. The material also is fuelling a black hole in the galaxy's core. A galaxy's bulge is a central, football-shaped structure composed of stars, gas, and dust. The dark material surrounding the centre of the galaxy is gas and dust that is being funnelled into the central region by the bar. The blue regions pinpoint young star clusters.