The Week in Pictures: May 4-10, 2013

In the past seven days, a new analysis shows that just before a black hole forms, a dying star may generate a distinct burst of light that will allow astronomers to witness the birth of a new black hole for the first time; the Herschel Space Observatory has made detailed observations of hot molecular gas that may be orbiting or falling toward the supermassive black hole lurking at the center of our galaxy; and scientists were able to detect discrete concentrations of neutral hydrogen emerging out of what was thought to be a mainly featureless field of gas between the Andromeda and Triangulum galaxies; and more.