The latest images from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have unveiled 19 spiral galaxies resembling our Milky Way in unparalleled detail. Launched on Christmas Day in 2021, the JWST’s unique capabilities allow it to capture intricate images of distant objects. Equipped with near- and mid-infrared cameras, the telescope can perceive light beyond the visible spectrum, exposing dust clouds and concealed objects invisible to the human eye.
These spiral galaxies, positioned 15 to 60 million light-years away from Earth, showcase a mesmerizing array of stars depicted as blue pinpricks of light. The images reveal stars distributed across spiral arms and concentrated in the galaxy centers. Insights from the European Space Agency suggest that these galaxies grow from the inside out, with older star clusters concentrated at the cores, marked by blue clumps, while the arms contain younger stars. Additionally, the images capture red and orange-hued clouds of dust surrounding stars, potentially indicating remnants of exploded stars. Some images feature pink and red emanations from the galaxy cores, possibly originating from supermassive black holes.
The JWST’s contribution is part of the ongoing Physics at High Angular resolution in Nearby Galaxies (PHANGS) survey, aiming to unravel the physics behind star formation. Described as “extraordinary” and “mind-blowing” by Janice Lee, a scientist at the Space Telescope Science Institute, these images, taken as part of the PHANGS project, provide an unprecedented number of stars for the scientific community. As stated by Adam Leroy, a professor of astronomy at The Ohio State University and a PHANGS team member, cataloging various star types contributes to a more comprehensive understanding .throughout their life cycles, extending for billions or even trillions of years.
