Hubble Simulation of I Zw 18

This image was created by modifying the original Hubble photo of I Zw 18. The image shows how the galaxy would look if it appeared at a distance of 3 billion light-years.

The simulation shows that we see far less of the galaxy as the fainter stars cannot be seen at large distances. It is therefore believed that astronomers only see the 'tip of the iceberg' when they point their large telescopes at the heavens.