NGC 5866 – Hubble Space Telescope Image
Authentic artwork
The artwork we print is faithfully restored from the original source - usually a museum, auction house or private collection.
We never replace, redraw or invent the artist’s work using generative AI.
Restored from the original artwork and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
The Collector’s Offer
Choose two eligible works and receive 20% off both. Choose three and the lowest-priced one is complimentary, a maximum saving of 33%.
Mix and match eligible standard maps and fine-art prints. No code is required; the offer is applied automatically at checkout.
Standard made-to-order configurations are included. Bespoke sizes, personalised designs and commissioned work are excluded.
Need delivery to different addresses? Contact us before ordering.The Collector’s Offer
Choose two eligible works and receive 20% off both. Choose three and the lowest-priced one is complimentary, a maximum saving of 33%.
Mix and match eligible standard maps and fine-art prints. No code is required; the offer is applied automatically at checkout.
Standard made-to-order configurations are included. Bespoke sizes, personalised designs and commissioned work are excluded.
Need delivery to different addresses? Contact us before ordering.
Restored in London • Printed and framed in Canada
Authentic artwork
The artwork we print is faithfully restored from the original source - usually a museum, auction house or private collection.
We never replace, redraw or invent the artist’s work using generative AI.
Restored from the original artwork and printed to museum-grade archival standards. Full description
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Gift message & custom finish
If you want to add a gift message, or a finish (jigsaw, aluminium board, etc.) that is not available here, please request it in the "order note" when you check out.
Every order is custom made, so if you need the size adjusted slightly, or printed on an unusual material, just let us know. We've done thousands of custom orders over the years, so there's (almost) nothing we can't manage.
You can also contact us before you order, if you prefer!
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NGC 5866 cuts across this Hubble view as a slender, nearly edge-on spiral galaxy, its luminous body divided by an exceptionally crisp...
Continue readingNGC 5866 cuts across this Hubble view as a slender, nearly edge-on spiral galaxy, its luminous body divided by an exceptionally crisp band of dark dust. Seen from 45 million light-years away in the constellation Draco, the galaxy is tilted almost directly across our line of sight. That geometry turns its disc into a narrow horizontal structure and makes the dust lane unusually commanding: a dark, finely textured seam laid against the concentrated light of billions of stars.
A bright nucleus anchors the centre, enclosed by a subtle reddish bulge. Running parallel to the dust is a cooler blue disc of stars, while a faint, transparent halo extends into the surrounding darkness. The result is both restrained and intricate: cream and grey light gathered around the core, blue at the edges of the disc, and a dense black lane that appears to cleave the galaxy into two luminous halves.
Hubble’s clarity also reveals structures beyond this immediately legible silhouette. Wisps of dust stray away from the main disc into the bulge and inner halo, softening the otherwise severe horizontal line. Across the outer halo are globular clusters—gravitationally bound groups containing nearly a million stars each—while still more distant galaxies can be seen through it, lying millions to billions of light-years beyond NGC 5866.
A closer look
Near the centre, the dust lane becomes especially complex. Its edge is not smooth but broken into knots, narrow streaks and uneven folds, with darker concentrations standing sharply against the bright galactic bulge. Delicate trails rise and curl away from the disc, giving the central region a textured, almost smoke-like appearance without disturbing the galaxy’s broad serenity.
The brighter upper and lower halves are subtly different in character. Close to the nucleus, warm cream and reddish light dominates; farther out, the profile thins into cooler blue-grey. The halo is sufficiently transparent for tiny background galaxies to remain visible through it, some as compact points and others as faint smudges. These remote objects create a striking depth: the foreground structure of NGC 5866 remains precise, while far beyond it the field recedes into scattered, barely resolved forms.
At the upper right, a bright star marked by four clean diffraction spikes provides a sharp counterpoint to the galaxy’s diffuse light. Elsewhere, the smallest globular clusters appear as fine points suspended around the disc. On a large presentation, these quiet details become central to the experience of the image—the slight variations within the dust, the thin outer trace of the halo and the many objects visible behind the galaxy’s translucent outskirts.
How this image was made
This view was produced with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and released on 8 June 2006. Hubble’s resolving power makes the galaxy’s edge-on orientation particularly revealing, separating the bright nucleus, reddish central bulge, blue stellar disc, dark dust lane and transparent outer halo with remarkable precision. Rather than presenting NGC 5866 as a distant blur, the observation exposes the fine structure that runs through and away from its disc.
Image details and provenance
- Subject: NGC 5866
- Object type: Spiral galaxy
- Constellation: Draco
- Distance from Earth: 45 million light-years
- Telescope or observatories: NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope
- Original release date: 8 June 2006, 15:00
- Official source: ACS image of NGC 5866
- Image credit: NASA, ESA, and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI / AURA)
Choosing the right size and finish
Fine art can feel intimate at smaller sizes and more architectural at larger ones. Use the room preview, model image and size guide to judge the scale of the piece in your space.
For exact dimensions, specialist framing or a larger project, ask our workshop for advice.
The model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this art print.
Where personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, or one considered visual detail. See examples of personalised artwork.
Choose Original for colour that remains faithful to the source artwork, or Aged for a warmer antique character. See examples of our Aged artwork.
Every piece is printed to museum-grade archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte paper. Choose an art print, framed art print or canvas using the finish options above.
Framed art prints use crystal-clear optical acrylic for excellent clarity, reduced reflections and safer delivery. They arrive professionally framed and ready to hang.
Selected artworks can be produced at statement sizes up to 3 metres (10ft). Custom sizing and specialist framing are also available; contact our workshop if the exact option you need is not listed.
This artwork is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The work is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present an art print without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas art and explore the differences between my different finishes.
NGC 5866 cuts across this Hubble view as a slender, nearly edge-on spiral galaxy, its luminous body divided by an exceptionally crisp band of dark dust. Seen from 45 million light-years away in the constellation Draco, the galaxy is tilted almost directly across our line of sight. That geometry turns its disc into a narrow horizontal structure and makes the dust lane unusually commanding: a dark, finely textured seam laid against the concentrated light of billions of stars.
A bright nucleus anchors the centre, enclosed by a subtle reddish bulge. Running parallel to the dust is a cooler blue disc of stars, while a faint, transparent halo extends into the surrounding darkness. The result is both restrained and intricate: cream and grey light gathered around the core, blue at the edges of the disc, and a dense black lane that appears to cleave the galaxy into two luminous halves.
Hubble’s clarity also reveals structures beyond this immediately legible silhouette. Wisps of dust stray away from the main disc into the bulge and inner halo, softening the otherwise severe horizontal line. Across the outer halo are globular clusters—gravitationally bound groups containing nearly a million stars each—while still more distant galaxies can be seen through it, lying millions to billions of light-years beyond NGC 5866.
A closer look
Near the centre, the dust lane becomes especially complex. Its edge is not smooth but broken into knots, narrow streaks and uneven folds, with darker concentrations standing sharply against the bright galactic bulge. Delicate trails rise and curl away from the disc, giving the central region a textured, almost smoke-like appearance without disturbing the galaxy’s broad serenity.
The brighter upper and lower halves are subtly different in character. Close to the nucleus, warm cream and reddish light dominates; farther out, the profile thins into cooler blue-grey. The halo is sufficiently transparent for tiny background galaxies to remain visible through it, some as compact points and others as faint smudges. These remote objects create a striking depth: the foreground structure of NGC 5866 remains precise, while far beyond it the field recedes into scattered, barely resolved forms.
At the upper right, a bright star marked by four clean diffraction spikes provides a sharp counterpoint to the galaxy’s diffuse light. Elsewhere, the smallest globular clusters appear as fine points suspended around the disc. On a large presentation, these quiet details become central to the experience of the image—the slight variations within the dust, the thin outer trace of the halo and the many objects visible behind the galaxy’s translucent outskirts.
How this image was made
This view was produced with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and released on 8 June 2006. Hubble’s resolving power makes the galaxy’s edge-on orientation particularly revealing, separating the bright nucleus, reddish central bulge, blue stellar disc, dark dust lane and transparent outer halo with remarkable precision. Rather than presenting NGC 5866 as a distant blur, the observation exposes the fine structure that runs through and away from its disc.
Image details and provenance
- Subject: NGC 5866
- Object type: Spiral galaxy
- Constellation: Draco
- Distance from Earth: 45 million light-years
- Telescope or observatories: NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope
- Original release date: 8 June 2006, 15:00
- Official source: ACS image of NGC 5866
- Image credit: NASA, ESA, and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI / AURA)
Choosing the right size and finish
Fine art can feel intimate at smaller sizes and more architectural at larger ones. Use the room preview, model image and size guide to judge the scale of the piece in your space.
For exact dimensions, specialist framing or a larger project, ask our workshop for advice.
The model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this art print.
Where personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, or one considered visual detail. See examples of personalised artwork.
Choose Original for colour that remains faithful to the source artwork, or Aged for a warmer antique character. See examples of our Aged artwork.
Every piece is printed to museum-grade archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte paper. Choose an art print, framed art print or canvas using the finish options above.
Framed art prints use crystal-clear optical acrylic for excellent clarity, reduced reflections and safer delivery. They arrive professionally framed and ready to hang.
Selected artworks can be produced at statement sizes up to 3 metres (10ft). Custom sizing and specialist framing are also available; contact our workshop if the exact option you need is not listed.
This artwork is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The work is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present an art print without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas art and explore the differences between my different finishes.
Many of our maps and art prints are chosen as thoughtful gifts for homes, offices, studies and meaningful places.
Choose a framed option for the easiest ready-to-hang gift, or choose an unframed print if the recipient may prefer to select their own frame.
We make orders locally in 23 countries around the world, so gifts can often be produced close to the recipient. This helps them arrive faster, travel more safely, and avoid customs or import duty surprises.
- We can deliver directly to the recipient
- Framed pieces arrive ready to hang
- Unframed prints are carefully packed in a strong protective tube
- Almost every order is made locally, for faster, safer gifting
- 90-day returns give the recipient time to decide
If you are not sure what to choose, please contact us. We can help you pick the right map, size, finish or delivery option.
Most orders are made locally and delivered in around 2–3 working days, depending on the product, size and destination.
We print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world, so your order is usually made close to you or your recipient. That means faster delivery, less time in transit, and no customs or import duty surprises.
Personalised and customised pieces usually take an extra 1–2 working days, because we prepare your design and send it to you for approval before printing.
Very large framed orders can take a little longer, as they need extra care in production and delivery.
Every order is carefully packaged: unframed prints are sent in a strong protective tube, while framed pieces are securely packed with protective materials around the frame.
If you need your order by a particular date, please contact us before ordering. We’ll check the best production route and delivery option for your location.
Express delivery is available at checkout for most countries. Next-day delivery is available in the UK, US, Singapore and the UAE.
Your order is covered by our 90-day returns policy and 10-year guarantee.
Our standard frame is a gallery-style black ash hardwood frame, with a simple, modern look. It is approximately 20mm (0.8in) wide. You can also view some lovely customer photos of framed maps and art.
We use super-clear acrylic glazing, also known as Perspex or Acrylite, instead of traditional glass. It is lighter, safer, and has lower reflectivity, giving the artwork a clearer, cleaner appearance.
Six standard frame colours are available at no extra cost: black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white, and antique gold. Custom framing and mounting/matting is also available for customers looking for something more specific.
Most maps, art prints, and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced wooden box frame, and then float the piece within a wooden outer frame. The finished result is beautifully presented, with no glazing between you and the artwork.
All frames are supplied ready to hang, with either string or brackets fitted to the back. Very large frames will include heavy-duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.
We can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag, and other materials.
If you would prefer to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read our size guide before ordering.
Every restored art print begins with the original artist’s work—never an AI-generated replacement.
Our London studio works from carefully selected source material from museums, libraries, archives and private collections. We restore age-related damage, faded colour and imperfect reproduction while preserving the artist’s composition, brushwork, line, texture and period character.
We do not use generative AI to redraw, reinterpret or invent the artwork. Digital restoration is used only to recover and reproduce the original work as faithfully as possible.
Once restored, the master artwork is prepared for your chosen size and finish. Your piece is then printed and, where selected, framed close to its delivery destination.
Our giclée art prints use acid-free 200gsm archival matte paper and fade-resistant pigment inks for a rich, museum-quality finish. Framed art prints use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.
Framed canvas and specialist cotton-rag editions are also available. Learn more about our materials and finishes.
We’ve been restoring and producing maps and art prints since 1984, and we stand behind every piece.
Every order is covered by our 10-year guarantee and damage-free delivery guarantee. If your piece arrives damaged, we’ll replace or remake it free of charge. If anything else isn’t right, contact our workshop team and we’ll put it right promptly.
See our returns and refund policy for full details.
