#Phantom galaxy james webb series#

Webb’s view of the Phantom Galaxy shows bright star-forming dust clouds strung around the spiral arms, and a blue glow from the dense star cluster at the core of the galaxy. It is located in the constellation Pisces, and features well-defined spiral arms.

The Phantom Galaxy is positioned face-on to Earth. Lee and the PHANGS-JWST Team ESA/Hubble & NASA, R. The center image is a composite of the optical and infrared observations made by Hubble and Webb. These images show views of M74, also known as the Phantom Galaxy, captured in optical and infrared wavelengths by the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope. “By combining data from telescopes operating across the electromagnetic spectrum, scientists can gain greater insight into astronomical objects than by using a single observatory – even one as powerful as Webb!” ESA said in a press release. Webb resolved the same star-forming regions in its infrared observations. Hubble’s observations of the Phantom Galaxy revealed bright areas of star formation in ultraviolet and visible wavelengths. The MIRI data will help scientists accurately measure the masses and ages of star clusters, and gain insights into the small grains of dust drifting in interstellar space between the stars, according to ESA. The Mid-Infrared Instrument, or MIRI, camera that made the observations of the Phantom Galaxy was part of ESA’s contribution to the Webb mission, a joint project with NASA and the Canadian Space Agency. Webb’s observations will allow astronomers to pinpoint star-forming regions of the galaxy, according to the European Space Agency.

Now Webb is adding its unmatched vision to resolve previously unseen features of the galaxy. Astronomers have previously studied the spiral galaxy with ground-based observatories and the Hubble Space Telescope. The Phantom Galaxy, also known as Messier 74, is 32 million light-years from Earth.

#Phantom galaxy james webb series#

Lee and the PHANGS-JWST Teamįresh images from the James Webb Space Telescope show the Phantom Galaxy in vibrant infrared light, part of a series of observations with the new $10 billion observatory to help astronomers study the formation of stars. The European Mid-Infrared Instrument, or MIRI, camera on the James Webb Space Telescope captured this view of M74, also known as the Phantom Galaxy.