Video: Hubble and Webb's Views of IC 1623

In this video, the new image from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope of merging galaxies IC 1623 A and B is juxtaposed with a new image of the same target from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.

The first image, combining data from Hubble’s ACS and WFC3 instruments, gives a familiar visible-light view of these colliding galaxies, where the centres of the individual galaxies are much more obscured by dark dust. Meanwhile, in Webb’s combined MIRI and NIRCam view of the galaxies, shown second, the gas being used as fuel by the stellar nurseries is especially apparent. Webb’s ability to pierce the gaseous veil obscuring the bright galactic cores also causes prominent diffraction spikes to appear.