The galaxy NGC 7250 should dominate this image. It has bright bursts of star formation and recorded supernova explosions, but it fades into the background next to the bright star hogging the limelight next to it.

That bright star is named TYC 3203-450-1. It’s located in the constellation of Lacerta (The Lizard). The star is much closer than NGC 7250 which how it is able to outshine a whole galaxy. Astronomers studying distant objects call such stars “foreground stars,” and they are often not very happy about them. Their bright light contaminates the fainter light from more distant and interesting objects they actually want to study.

TYC 3203-450-1 is million times closer than NGC 7250.

Image Credit: NASA / ESA