PIX4565145: Globular cluster M2 in Aquarius - Globular cluster M2 in Aquarius - M2 (NGC 7089) is a cluster of stars located about 37,500 years - light from Earth. M2 (NGC 7089) is a star cluster located at about 37,000 light years away / Bridgeman Images

TEC4565202: Route from Vaugirard to Meudon (Hauts de Seine). / Bridgeman Images

PIX4565291: Coma cluster of galaxies Abell 1656 - Coma cluster of galaxies - The Coma cluster of galaxies consists of more than a thousand galaxies located 330 million years - light in the constellation Coma Berenices. This cluster is dominated by two large elliptical galaxies NGC 4874 on the right and NGC 4889 on the left. The Coma cluster of galaxies (Abell 1656) is one of the densest galaxy cluster known. It contains a thousand of galaxies and is located 330 million light years away. Two big elliptical galaxies dominate it: NGC 4874 (right) and NGC 4889 (left) / Bridgeman Images

TEC4565319: Renault factories on Seguin Island (Hauts de Seine). / Bridgeman Images

LRI4565293: Portrait of Robert Schumann (engraving), Unknown Artist, (19th century) / Bridgeman Images

PIX4565327: Coma cluster of galaxies Abell 1656 - Coma cluster of galaxies - The Coma cluster of galaxies consists of more than a thousand galaxies located 330 million years - light in the constellation Coma Berenices. This cluster is dominated by two large elliptical galaxies NGC 4874 on the right and NGC 4889 on the left. The Coma cluster of galaxies (Abell 1656) is one of the densest galaxy cluster known. It contains a thousand of galaxies and is located 330 million light years away. Two big elliptical galaxies dominate it: NGC 4874 (right) and NGC 4889 (left) / Bridgeman Images

JLJ4565038: Gallo Roman Art: mosaic paving representing a rustic calendar, Apples picking, end 2nd, beginning of 3rd century AD (mosaic), Gallo-Roman, (2nd century AD) / Bridgeman Images

TEC4565342: Meudon with the Defense (Hauts de Seine) in the background. / Bridgeman Images

JLJ4565351: Automobile: four passengers in a Phaeton car by Dion Bouton, 20th century (photo), Unknown Artist, (20th century) / Bridgeman Images

TEC4565358: Meudon (Hauts de Seine). / Bridgeman Images

PIX4565370: The cluster of galaxies in Fornax - The cluster of galaxies in Fornax - clusters of galaxies situated about 55 million years ago - light. In the center of the image is the barree spiral galaxy NGC 1365; at the bottom right of the image, the interaction galaxy NGC 1316 - 17 (Fornax A), which is one of the strongest known radiosource. Galaxies can be separated by their appearance into two broad groups, spirals and ellipticals. An example of a spiral galaxy, NGC 1365, is seen in center of this picture. In contrast, most of the galaxies in this cluster are ellipticals, which contain little or no gas or evidence of star formation; indeed they are composed millions of rather old, yellowish stars. Unlike many of the stars in spiral systems, those in ellipticals have orbits which are not confined to a narrow plane, so the galaxy can have a shape anywhere between a perfect sphere and an American football. This kind of galaxy is the most common type in the photograph as it is in all of the nearby Universe. The picture also illustrates another distinctive property of ellipticals, their gregarious nature - they congregate in clusters, like this group of galaxies in Fornax, 55 million light years distant. This image also shows us another, less common kind of galaxy. In the lower right corner is NGC 1316 - 17. This is interacting pair of galaxies is one of the strongest nearby radio galaxies, known as Fornax A. Finally, in the opposite corner is a bright yellow (K5) 4.5 magnitude star in the adjoining constellation of Eridanus / Bridgeman Images

PIX4565530: Group of Galaxies HCG 31 - Hickson Compact Group 31 - This group of interacting galaxies is located 166 million years of light from Earth in the constellation Eridan. Dwarf galaxies are merging causing intense star formation. This long fusion process will lead to the birth of a large elliptical galaxy. Image obtained by the Hubble Space Telescope on August 8, 2006. These four dwarf galaxies waited billions of years to come together, setting off a fireworks show as thousands of new star clusters come to life. The distorted galaxies are quickly producing massive, hot, young stars that are pumping out ultraviolet radiation, heating up surrounding gas clouds, and causing them to glow. Such encounters between dwarf galaxies are normally seen billions of light - years away and therefore occurred billions of years ago. But these galaxies, members of Hickson Compact Group 31, are relatively nearby, only 166 million light - years away. In this image, taken by Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope, the bright, distorted object at middle, left, is actually two colliding dwarf galaxies. Myriad star clusters have formed in the streamers of debris pulled from the galaxies and at the site of their head - on collision. The cigar - shaped object above the galaxy duo is another member of the group. A bridge of star clusters connects the trio. A long rope of bright star clusters points to the fourth member of the group, at lower right. The bright object in the center is a foreground star. Astronomers used Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys to resolve the youngest and brightest of star clusters, which allowed them to calculate the clusters' ages, map the star - formation history, and determine that the galaxies are starting the final stages of galaxy assembly. Hubble reveals that the brightest clusters, hefty groups each holding at least 100,000 stars, are less than 10 million years old. Astronomers say the interacting galaxies will form / Bridgeman Images

LRI4565529: Portrait of Gaspare Spontini (engraving, 19th century), Unknown Artist, (19th century) / Bridgeman Images

LBY4565643: Detached house in the park of Maisons Laffite (Yvelines). / Bridgeman Images

ITR4565865: Detail of the Chateau de Maisons Laffitte (Yvelines), architect Francois Mansart (1598-1666), in 1640. / Bridgeman Images

JLJ4565009: Gallo Roman Art: mosaic paving representing a rustic calendar, Olive picking scene, end 2nd, beginning of 3rd century AD (mosaic), Gallo-Roman, (2nd century AD) / Bridgeman Images

LBY4565679: Le chateau d eau de Carrieres-sur-Seine dans les Yvelines Chateau d eau - Carrieres-sur-Seine - Les Yvelines - France - / Bridgeman Images

JLJ4565765: The beggars Groups of disabled dead and miserable, 1568 (oil on canvas), Brueghel, Pieter The Elder (c.1525-69) / Bridgeman Images

ITR4565775: Island pavilion rebuilt from 1741 to 1743. Jardins du Chateau de Dampierre en Yvelines (Les Yvelines). Chateau-Manoir of the 13th century metamorphosis from 1682 to 1685 by Jules Hardouin Mansart (1646-1708). / Bridgeman Images

PIX4565787: Galaxy clusters Abell 2744 - Black material - X - rays, dark matter and galaxies in cluster Abell 2744 / Bridgeman Images

PIX4565896: Observation night - Amateur astronomer / Bridgeman Images

PIX4566025: Observation Night - Amateur astronomers observe the sky with a C14 telescope, 35 cm in diameter. In the sky, the constellations of Persee (above) and Coach (below) are visible. Amateur astronomers watching the sky with a Celestron 14”” telescope. Constellations of Perseus and Auriga are visible / Bridgeman Images

PIX4565991: Amateur astronomer and astronomical bezel - Amateur astronomer - Amateur astronomer and refractor / Bridgeman Images

JLJ4566049: The car (or diligence) has steam, 1835 (engraving), Tissier, Jean Baptiste Ange (1814-76) / Bridgeman Images

FLO4569615: Aspalathus crenata, native to South Africa. Handcoloured stipple engraving on copper by Barrois from a botanical illustration by Pancrace Bessa from Mordant de Launay's “Herbier General de l'Amateur,” Audot, Paris, 1820. The Herbier was published from 1810 to 1827 and edited by Mordant de Launay and Loiseleur-Deslongchamps. Bessa (1772-1830s), along with Redoute and Turpin, is considered one of the greatest English botanical artists of the 19th century. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4569628: Firecracker flower, Crossandra infundibuliformis, native to the East Indies. Handcoloured stipple engraving on copper by Barrois from a botanical illustration by Pancrace Bessa from Mordant de Launay's “Herbier General de l'Amateur,” Audot, Paris, 1820. The Herbier was published from 1810 to 1827 and edited by Mordant de Launay and Loiseleur-Deslongchamps. Bessa (1772-1830s), along with Redoute and Turpin, is considered one of the greatest English botanical artists of the 19th century. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4569668: Latin American lady orchid, Stenorrhynchos speciosus, native to South America. Handcoloured stipple engraving on copper by Barrois from a botanical illustration by Pancrace Bessa from Mordant de Launay's “Herbier General de l'Amateur,” Audot, Paris, 1820. The Herbier was published from 1810 to 1827 and edited by Mordant de Launay and Loiseleur-Deslongchamps. Bessa (1772-1830s), along with Redoute and Turpin, is considered one of the greatest English botanical artists of the 19th century. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4569914: Velvet groundsel, Roldana petasitis, native to Mexico and central America. Handcoloured stipple engraving on copper by Barrois from a botanical illustration by Pancrace Bessa from Mordant de Launay's “Herbier General de l'Amateur,” Audot, Paris, 1820. The Herbier was published from 1810 to 1827 and edited by Mordant de Launay and Loiseleur-Deslongchamps. Bessa (1772-1830s), along with Redoute and Turpin, is considered one of the greatest English botanical artists of the 19th century. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4569840: Victorian Christmas bush, Prostranthera lasianthos, native to Australia. Handcoloured stipple engraving on copper by Barrois from a botanical illustration by Pancrace Bessa from Mordant de Launay's “Herbier General de l'Amateur,” Audot, Paris, 1820. The Herbier was published from 1810 to 1827 and edited by Mordant de Launay and Loiseleur-Deslongchamps. Bessa (1772-1830s), along with Redoute and Turpin, is considered one of the greatest English botanical artists of the 19th century. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4569889: Sterculia balanghas, native to Africa, America and Asia. Handcoloured stipple engraving on copper by Barrois from a botanical illustration by Pancrace Bessa from Mordant de Launay's “Herbier General de l'Amateur,” Audot, Paris, 1820. The Herbier was published from 1810 to 1827 and edited by Mordant de Launay and Loiseleur-Deslongchamps. Bessa (1772-1830s), along with Redoute and Turpin, is considered one of the greatest English botanical artists of the 19th century. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4569982: Bitterwortel or bitter root, Chironia linoides, native to South Africa. Handcoloured stipple engraving on copper by Barrois from a botanical illustration by Pancrace Bessa from Mordant de Launay's “Herbier General de l'Amateur,” Audot, Paris, 1820. The Herbier was published from 1810 to 1827 and edited by Mordant de Launay and Loiseleur-Deslongchamps. Bessa (1772-1830s), along with Redoute and Turpin, is considered one of the greatest English botanical artists of the 19th century. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4565008: Fancy dress costume of a hummingbird, with winged dress, bodice decorated with flowers. Handcoloured lithograph after a design by Leon Sault from “” L'Art du Travestissement” (The Art of Fancy Dress), Paris, c.1880. Sault was a theatre and opera designer and luxury fashion magazine publisher. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4565016: Allegorical costume as the element fire, with skirt and shawl decorated with flame pattern, bellows, flip-flops and brush on her belt. Handcoloured lithograph after a design by Leon Sault from “” L'Art du Travestissement” (The Art of Fancy Dress), Paris, c.1880. Sault was a theatre and opera designer and luxury fashion magazine publisher. / Bridgeman Images

LRI4565044: Portrait of Alessandro Rolla (engraving, 19th century) / Bridgeman Images

FLO4565126: Fancy dress costume for Winter, with dress of flowers, zodiac symbols and fringe icicles, swan feather fan. Handcoloured lithograph after a design by Leon Sault from “” L'Art du Travestissement” (The Art of Fancy Dress), Paris, c.1880. Sault was a theatre and opera designer and luxury fashion magazine publisher. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4565154: Stage costume in the Watteau style for Le Petite Abbe (a play by Bocage and Liorat with music by Grisart). In silk suit with short cape, shoes with silver buckles, and tricorn. Handcoloured lithograph after a design by Leon Sault from “” L'Art du Travestissement” (The Art of Fancy Dress), Paris, c.1880. Sault was a theatre and opera designer and luxury fashion magazine publisher. / Bridgeman Images