The Press Stories
Not enough of the first series of JWST films? Here are new fancy shots of a pair of galaxies!
Nothing can stop the James Webb Space Telescope! The machine only officially entered service Most recently, but it’s already hitting researchers with remarkably accurate scientific data. It’s a golden opportunity for the general public to enjoy beautiful pictures and new items on the menu! After the most distant image ever taken in infrared, the Stephens Quintet, the Carina Nebula and the Southern Ring Nebula (see our Article), astronomer Judy Schmidt presents a new series of incredible images today.
The interested party is a licensed galaxy hunter who has spent most of his life exploring these cosmic structures. Over the years, it has built up a comprehensive database through hundreds of hours of observations by the world’s most efficient telescopes. We strongly recommend you browse it Large collection of images on his account Flickr.
He is usually the kind of expert who impatiently awaits the arrival of JWST. So, she rushes to spend time observing with the new lover of astronomers. Unsurprisingly, this $10 billion telescope allowed him to create breathtaking images.
“Ghost Galaxy” was stark
It reveals two spiral galaxies, both near the Milky Way. The first, officially known as NGC 628 or Messier 74, is better known by the nickname “Phantom Galaxy”. This nickname is due to its relatively low luminosity, which despite being relatively close to Earth (32 million light-years), makes it very difficult for enthusiasts to observe.
Above all, its presence forces the public to notice it Two separate hands Which form a Almost perfect spin. For fans, it’s a spectacular sight, one of the most photogenic objects in the universe. But for researchers, it is a first-rate scientific resource.
In fact, astronomers have determined that these very gaseous and dusty appendages also existed Star NurseryThat is, regions of the universe where galaxies are born at insane rates.
The inputs to this process are still relatively unknown. So Messier 74 is a true open-air observatory – so to speak Study the life cycle of stars.
However, this cycle is a fundamental element of the dynamics of the universe. Astronomers hope that by studying it, they can improve their understanding of the overall workings of our universe. And with JWST backing it up, it’s only a matter of time before Messier 74 starts revealing its best secrets!
A great cousin of the Milky Way
The other image Schmitt released is of NGC 7496, another nearby galaxy 24 billion years old. Structurally, it is quite different from NGC 628. Like our good old Milky Way, this is a A barred spiral galaxy. In this case, the arms do not emerge directly from the center of the vortex, but from a wide band of stars running through it.
At first glance, the cliché may seem almost deceptive; It looks surprisingly dull compared to the excellent portraits Hubble has already produced. But for astronomers, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to see, far from it!
As a reminder, both devices run on different platforms. Hubble’s “eyes” were designed to capture visible light and ultraviolet radiation; JWST, on the other hand, is designed to observe inInfrared. In practice, these two images are parallel; The newcomer is able to notice details that its venerable predecessor could not capture.
And this collaboration will breathe new life into the study of NGC 7496. Because of these good old photos Hubby While a great gift to the general public, it was also a disappointment to astronomers. In fact, all these gas and dust piles tend to Hide the most interesting partThat is, the central band of stars.
JWST, on the other hand, has no problem ignoring this cloud. So he can directly observe the core of this structure. Again, this is a huge star factory that researchers can study from every angle.
Two additional examples that clearly show the extent to which James Webb is already revolutionizing astronomy…and we are still only at the dawn of this great twenty-year adventure. So we’ll give you an appointment when the next images come out, which shouldn’t be too long given the telescope’s current production rate!
