Francesco Shankar

Deep in the constellation Ophiuchus lies the galaxy NGC 6447. Until recently, it was quiet and unremarkable, like a house with its windows dark. But over the past 14 years, something has ignited at its center, and now it's visible in infrared light.

A potter sits down at the wheel, and the first movements of the hands set the fate of the future vessel. If the lump of clay stays flat and wide, it will spin for a long time, gaining mass and heat. If the potter squeezes it into a dense ball, the wheel slows down and the piece hardens quickly.