Hubble's Picture of the Week shows NGC 3285B, a spiral galaxy about 137 million light-years away in the constellation Hydra. The galaxy sits on the outskirts of the Hydra I cluster, which is anchored by two giant elliptical galaxies. It was observed because it hosted a Type Ia supernova, named SN 2023xqm, in 2023. Type Ia supernovae occur when a white dwarf detonates and briefly shines about five billion times brighter than the Sun. Hubble is part of a programme studying 100 such explosions in ultraviolet, optical and near-infrared light. The goal is to separate the effects of distance and dust, which can make supernovae look redder than they are. This work will refine cosmic distance measurements.

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.