The James Webb Space Telescope has revealed dazzling new detail of a portion of the cosmos 32 million light-years away, in a new image released by NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA).
Key points:
- The galaxy is 32 million light years from Earth
- It had previously been photographed by the Hubble telescope in less detail
- Scientists use M74 to study the formation of spiral galaxies
The telescope’s infrared technology, launched in December 2021, has allowed an even clearer view of the so-called ghost galaxy than astronomers have ever seen before.
“Webb’s sharp vision has revealed delicate filaments of gas and dust in the grand spiral arms spiraling outward from the center of this image,” NASA and ESA said in a statement.
“The lack of gas in the nuclear region also provides a clear view of the nuclear star cluster at the center of the galaxy.”
The rotating celestial shape, officially named M74, is located in the constellation Pisces 32 million light-years away from Earth.
Webb’s image shows the galaxy’s bright white, red, pink and light blue appendages of dust and stars swirling around a bright blue center, all against the dark background of deep space.
M74 was previously imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope, which captured the galaxy’s blue and pink spiral arms, but instead showed its bright center as a soft yellow.
A nuclear star cluster lies at the center of the ghost galaxy (Credit: NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope)
The James Webb image reveals charred spiral arms that are pockmarked with cavities.
Provided by: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI and Judy Schmidt
M74 taken by the Hubble Space Telescope in visible and near-infrared wavelengths. (NASA, ESA and Hubble Heritage (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration; Credit: R. Chandar (University of Toledo) and J. Miller (University of Michigan) ))
Hubble’s view of the galaxy is shrouded in dust.
NASA, ESA and Hubble Heritage Collaboration (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble; Acknowledgments: R. Chandar (University of Toledo) and J. Miller (University of Michigan)
The ghost galaxy is a “favorite target for astronomers studying the origin and structure of spiral galaxies,” NASA and ESA said.
The picture taken by Webb will help them “learn more about the early stages of star formation in the local Universe” and record more information about 19 star-forming galaxies close to our own Milky Way.
Astronomers will also use the image to “identify star-forming regions in galaxies, precisely measure the masses and ages of star clusters, and gain insights into the nature of tiny dust grains traveling in the interstellar space,” the statement said.
Webb’s new images have excited the space community as the telescope orbits the Sun a million miles (1.6 million kilometers) from Earth, in a region of space called the second Lagrange point.
The telescope, which has a primary mirror more than 6.5 meters wide, is an international collaboration between NASA, ESA and the Canadian Space Agency. It is expected to operate for about 20 years.
AFP