As others have hinted, the real science is going to be less pretty.
For example, some algorithm might filter the raw images and extract objects matching some properties, fit them, and then run every reasonable manipulation of that filter to give the fit an error bar. Or they will compare spectra from many galaxies to understand their composition, again running every reasonable variation of the calculation to get some kind of uncertainty.
The end science result will be a graph of some kind in a paper, but it costs very little extra to make these beautiful images on the side.
For example, some algorithm might filter the raw images and extract objects matching some properties, fit them, and then run every reasonable manipulation of that filter to give the fit an error bar. Or they will compare spectra from many galaxies to understand their composition, again running every reasonable variation of the calculation to get some kind of uncertainty.
The end science result will be a graph of some kind in a paper, but it costs very little extra to make these beautiful images on the side.