These images of M100’s core were taken before (left) and after (right) the servicing of the Hubble telescope. The difference is astonishing. Optical aberrations in the telescope’s main mirror caused light to scatter and blur. Although useful for scientific purposes and spectacular in their own right, such early images only hint at the telescope’s power. The image on the right, taken after correction, reveals a stunning array of detail: it traces the paths of the spiral arms to the galaxy’s core, and even shows individual stars.