NGC 4414: A Telling Spiral . ... the Hubble Heritage Team ( AURA / STScI / NASA ) Explanation: How far away is this galaxy? ... Spiral galaxy NGC 4414 contains many Cepheid variable stars that oscillate in a way that allows astronomers to estimate their distance. From analyzing distances to galaxies like this, some astronomers have recently announced that they have again refined their estimate of the expansion rate of the universe . ... NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers . ...