The purple rose of Virgo

Colour-composite of the barred spiral galaxy NGC 5584. The photo is based on data collected by the Paranal Science Team with the FORS1 instrument on Kueyen, the second 8.2-m Unit Telescope of ESO's Very Large Telescope. The supernova SN 2007af is the bright object seen slightly below and to the right of the galaxy's centre. The galaxy and its bright supernova were observed on the nights of 16, 19 and 22 March 2007 through a B, V, R, H-alpha and OII filter. The total exposure time is about 28 minutes. Credit: VLT/ESO/H. Boffin