By Dean Murray
Iconic spaceships from Star Trek have been spotted in space - according to playful rocket scientists.
The team from NASA Universe shared images on Monday, Sept. 8, of what appear to be the original USS Enterprise and the Enterprise-D from the Next Generation TV show.
The spectacle was captured by NASA's now-retired Spitzer Space Telescope and displays two regions of star formation within the disk of our Milky Way galaxy.
NASA wrote: "Science fiction is inspired by real science ... and vice versa! These dusty clouds within our Milky Way galaxy are the birthplaces of new stars, but their shapes remind us that we also seek to boldly explore where no one has gone before.
"With a little scrutiny, you may see hints of the saucer and hull of the original USS Enterprise, captained by James T. Kirk, as if it were emerging from a dark nebula. Its "Next Generation" successor, Jean-Luc Picard's Enterprise-D, flies off in the opposite direction."
"Star Trek still inspires fans and astronomers alike to boldly explore where no one has gone before."