James Webb Space Telescope Discovers A Beautiful “Phantom galaxy” That Resembles An Extraterrestrial Doorway
Astronomers from all across the world have recently concentrated their attention on the latest photos produced by the NASA James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Following the display of the oldest galaxy ever seen, NASA has now shown another breathtaking image that has enthralled both scientists and amateurs. It is one of the most ideal examples of a spiral galaxy and is known by the name Messier 74 (also known as NGC 628). The JWST has caught this far-off galaxy in all its grandeur with its NIRcam (Near-infrared camera), revealing billions of stars and its two spiral arms. The potential of a black hole in the galaxy’s heart, though, maybe what intrigues people the most.
When NASA posted the image on its blog on July 22, it stated: “Messier 74, commonly known as NGC 628, is a stunning spiral galaxy that can be seen 32 million light-years away in the direction of the constellation Pisces. Astronomers have long praised M74, an island universe of around 100 billion stars with two distinct spiral arms, as the ideal illustration of a grand design spiral galaxy. In this freshly processed image, the core part of M74 is brought into a breathtaking, clear focus utilizing publicly accessible data from the James Webb Space Telescope.
Messier 74 has been photographed by the Hubble Telescope before, so this isn’t the first time we’ve seen the distant galaxy. However, the NIRcam and MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) on the JWST have allowed us to see the full range of cosmic dust that surrounds the galaxy and gives it the ideal spiral appearance. Earlier, the galaxy’s spirals were scarcely discernible, and it seemed to be a typical galaxy.
The galaxy’s nucleus is obscured by darkness in the photograph. This area may contain a black hole of the intermediate class, according to scientists. The potential of a black hole has aroused NASA’s interest since scientists won’t be able to conduct more studies to determine if the black hole has an impact on the galaxy’s spiral appearance or not. If a link between the two can be found, it will allow researchers to examine a large number of spiral galaxies that may contain black holes.
