Today, NASA released new images of the phantom galaxy, also known as M74 and NGC 628. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) captured it. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen the Webb telescope send back pictures of phantom galaxies. NASA previously announced 2022.
Below is a 2022 image for comparison. Despite the color difference, it is clear that both images are of the same galaxy.
ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, J. Lee
Webb captured the old images using only the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI). Conversely, the new one combines data from MIRI and Webb’s near-infrared camera (NIRCam). This combination allowed scientists on the Feedbacks of Emerging Extragalactic Clusters (FEAST) team to observe nurseries of phantom galaxies.
For the uninitiated, stellar nurseries are regions of space filled with gas and molecular clouds. This is the place where stars and planets are born. For this reason, some people call it a star-forming region.
The FEAST team’s main mission is to study stellar feedback in locations outside the Milky Way, while also observing star formation. By studying how much energy from a star flows out into its surroundings, scientists can better understand how stars are born.
Combining data from Webb’s MIRI and NIRCam instruments, scientists were able to conclude that the spiral arms of phantom galaxies are places in the celestial body where stars are more actively forming. . Thanks to NIRCam, JWST is less affected by dust and can now see hydrogen emission lines that indicate where newly formed massive stars are formed.
JWST continues to send back images for us to enjoy thanks to its 68 GB SSD. If you would like to learn more, there is a lot of information on the ESA/Webb site.
