Magnificent spiral galaxy NGC 4565 is viewed edge-on from planet Earth.
Also known as the Needle Galaxy for its narrow profile, bright NGC 4565 is a stop on many telescopic tours of the northern sky as it lies in the faint but well-groomed constellation Coma Berenices.
This sharp color image reveals the galaxy's bulging central core dominated by light from a population of older, yellowish stars.
The core is dramatically cut by obscuring dust lanes which lace NGC 4565's thin galactic plane.
