Coordinates
| Position (RA): | 23 34 27.42 |
|---|---|
| Position (Dec): | -36° 5' 59.51" |
| Field of view: | 2.55 x 2.12 arcminutes |
| Orientation: | North is 91.7° left of vertical |
Colours & filters
| Band | Wavelength | Telescope |
|---|---|---|
| Infrared | 7.7 μm | James Webb Space Telescope MIRI |
| Infrared | 10 μm | James Webb Space Telescope MIRI |
| Infrared | 11 μm | James Webb Space Telescope MIRI |
| Infrared | 21 μm | James Webb Space Telescope MIRI |
Webb Reveals Complex Galactic Structures
This image from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope shows IC 5332, a spiral galaxy, in unprecedented detail thanks to observations from the Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI). Its symmetrical spiral arms, which appear so clearly in Hubble’s ultraviolet and visible-light image of IC 5332, are revealed as a complex web of gas, emitting infrared light at a variety of temperatures. Capturing light at these wavelengths requires very specialised instruments kept at very cold temperatures, and MIRI performs spectacularly at the task.
IC 5332 lies over 29 million light-years from Earth, and has a diameter of roughly 66 000 light-years, making it about a third smaller than the Milky Way. It is notable for being almost perfectly face-on with respect to Earth, allowing us to admire the symmetrical sweep of its spiral arms.
Links
Credit:ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, J. Lee and the PHANGS-JWST and PHANGS-HST Teams
About the Image
| Id: | potm2209a | |
|---|---|---|
| Type: | Observation | |
| Release date: | 27 September 2022, 06:00 | |
| Size: | 1378 x 1147 px | |
