IC 5063 is a galaxy about 156 million light-years away. The interplay of light and shadow we see in the galaxy is probably caused by light blasted by jets fro##a supermassive black hole smacking into a dust ring buried deep inside the core. Light streams through gaps in the ring, creating the brilliant cone-shaped rays, but denser patches block some of the light, casting long, dark shadows through the galaxy. Sunlight streaming through clouds at sunset can create a similar effect, creating a mixture of bright rays and dark shadows formed by beams of light scattered by the atmosphere.

Image Credit: NASA / ESA