This James Webb Space Telescope image shows the heart of M74, also known as the Ghost Galaxy. Webb’s sharp vision has revealed delicate filaments of gas and dust in the grand spiral arms that wrap outward from the center of this image. The lack of gas in the nuclear region also provides a clear view of the nuclear star cluster at the center of the galaxy. Credits: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, J. Lee and the PHANGSJWST team
Incredible new images of the spectacular Phantom Galaxy, M74, show the power of space observatories working together at multiple wavelengths. In this case, data from the[{” attribute=””>James Webb Space Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope complement each other to provide a comprehensive view of the galaxy.
The Phantom Galaxy is located approximately 32 million lightyears away from Earth in the constellation Pisces. It lies almost faceon to Earth. This, coupled with its welldefined spiral arms, makes it a favorite target for astronomers studying the origin and structure of galactic spirals.
New images of the ghost galaxy, M74, show the power of space observatories working together at multiple wavelengths. This video features the Hubble Space Telescope view of the galaxy, showing the oldest, reddest stars toward the center, the youngest, bluest stars in their spiral arms, the most active star formation in the red bubbles of the H II regions. The image from the James Webb Space Telescope is strikingly different, instead highlighting the masses of gas and dust within the galaxy’s arms, and the dense cluster of stars at its core. The combined image of M74 merges these two for a truly unique look at this “grand design” spiral galaxy.
M74 is a particular class of spiral galaxy known as a “grand design spiral”. This means that its spiral arms are prominent and welldefined, unlike the jagged, jagged structure seen in some spiral galaxies.
Webb’s sharp vision has revealed delicate filaments of gas and dust in M74’s grand spiral arms, which curl outward from the center of the image. The lack of gas in the nuclear region also provides a clear view of the nuclear star cluster at the center of the galaxy.
M74 shines at its brightest in this combined optical/midinfrared image, which includes data from both the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope.
With Hubble’s venerable Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) and Webb’s powerful MidInfrared Instrument (MIRI) capturing a range of wavelengths, this new image has remarkable depth. Red colors mark dust passing through the arms of the galaxy, lighter oranges are areas of hotter dust. Young stars in the arms and core are picked out in blue. The heaviest and oldest stars toward the center of the galaxy are shown in cyan and green, casting a ghostly glow from the ghost galaxy’s core. Star formation bubbles are also visible in pink on the arms. This variety of galactic features is rare to see in a single image.
Scientists combine data from telescopes operating across the electromagnetic spectrum to truly understand astronomical objects. In this way, data from Hubble and Webb complement each other to provide a complete view of the spectacular galaxy M74.
Credits: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, J. Lee and the PHANGSJWST team; ESA/Hubble and NASA, R. Chandar Credit: J. Schmidt
Webb looked at M74 using its MidInfrared Instrument (MIRI) to learn more about the early stages of star formation in the local Universe. These observations are part of a larger effort to map 19 nearinfrared starforming galaxies from the international PHANGS collaboration. These galaxies have already been observed using the Hubble Space Telescope and groundbased observatories.
The addition of crystalclear Webb observations at longer wavelengths will allow astronomers to identify starforming regions in galaxies, precisely measure the masses and ages of star clusters, and gain information about the nature of small grains of dust traveling in interstellar space. .
This James Webb Space Telescope image shows the heart of M74, also known as the Ghost Galaxy. Webb’s sharp vision has revealed delicate filaments of gas and dust in the grand spiral arms that wrap outward from the center of this image. The lack of gas in the nuclear region also provides a clear view of the nuclear star cluster at the center of the galaxy. M74 is a particular class of spiral galaxies known as a “granddesign spiral,” meaning that its spiral arms are prominent and welldefined, as opposed to the jagged, jagged structure seen in some spiral galaxies.
Hubble observations of M74 have revealed particularly bright areas of star formation known as HII regions. Hubble’s sharp view at ultraviolet and visible wavelengths complements Webb’s unmatched sensitivity at infrared wavelengths, as do observations from groundbased radio telescopes such as the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, ALMA.
By combining data from telescopes operating across the electromagnetic spectrum, scientists can gain a greater view of astronomical objects than using a single observatory, even one as powerful as Webb!
New images of the ghost galaxy, M74, show the power of space observatories working together at multiple wavelengths.
At left, the Hubble Space Telescope’s view of the galaxy ranges from the oldest, reddest stars toward the center, to younger, bluer stars in its spiral arms, to the most active star formation in the red bubbles of the H II regions. At right, the James Webb Space Telescope image is strikingly different, instead highlighting the masses of gas and dust within the galaxy’s arms, and the dense cluster of stars at its core. The combined image in the center merges these two together for a truly unique look at this “grand design” spiral galaxy.
Credits: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, J. Lee and the PHANGSJWST team; ESA/Hubble and NASA, R. Chandar Credit: J. Schmidt
About Webb
The James Webb Space Telescope is the world’s leading space science observatory. Webb will solve mysteries of our Solar System, look beyond distant worlds around other stars, and investigate the mysterious structures and origins of our Universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by[{” attribute=””>NASA with its partners, ESA and the Canadian Space Agency. The major contributions of ESA to the mission are: the NIRSpec instrument; the MIRI instrument optical bench assembly; the provision of the launch services; and personnel to support mission operations. In return for these contributions, European scientists will get a minimum share of 15% of the total observing time, like for the Hubble Space Telescope.
M74 shines at its brightest in this combined optical/midinfrared image, which includes data from both the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope. With Hubble’s venerable Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) and Webb’s powerful MidInfrared Instrument (MIRI) capturing a range of wavelengths, this new image has remarkable depth. Red colors mark dust passing through the arms of the galaxy, lighter oranges are areas of hotter dust. Young stars in the arms and core are picked out in blue. The heaviest and oldest stars toward the center of the galaxy are shown in cyan and green, casting a ghostly glow from the ghost galaxy’s core. Star formation bubbles are also visible in pink on the arms. This variety of galactic features is rare to see in a single image.
MIRI was contributed by ESA and NASA, with the instrument designed and built by a consortium of nationally funded European institutes (the European MIRI Consortium) in collaboration with JPL and the University of Arizona.
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