PREVIEW

NASA has unveiled a series of spectacular images showcasing 19 spiral galaxies.

The breathtaking photographs are a testament to the capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope, utilised by the space agency to contribute to research on the cosmic marvels.

The images form a part of the ongoing Physics at High Angular resolution in Nearby GalaxieS (PHANGS) programme, backed by over 150 astronomers globally.

NASA states, "One cannot help but be utterly captivated by these spiral galaxies. Trace their well-defined arms, filled with stars, leading to their centres where ancient star clusters and, occasionally, active supermassive black holes may reside. Only NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope can provide such intricately detailed views of nearby galaxies, combining both near- and mid-infrared light."

Janice Lee, a project scientist for strategic initiatives at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, comments, "Webb’s latest images are nothing short of remarkable. They’re astonishing, even to researchers who have spent decades studying these same galaxies.

"The images reveal bubbles and filaments in unprecedented detail, narrating the story of the star formation cycle."

NASA continued, "The team was buzzing with excitement as the Webb images came streaming in."

“The level of detail in these images constantly overwhelms our team, but in the best way possible,” shares Thomas Williams, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.

Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) has captured millions of stars in these images, which appear in shimmering blue hues. Some stars are dispersed throughout the spiral arms, while others are densely packed in star clusters.

The telescope’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) data illuminates glowing dust, revealing its presence around and between stars. It also highlights stars in the process of formation – still enveloped in the gas and dust nurturing their growth, like bright red seeds at the tips of dusty crests.

“These locations are where we can observe the newest, most massive stars in the galaxies,” explains Erik Rosolowsky, a professor of physics at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada.