The Cigar Galaxy: M82 (Webb NIRCam image)

The NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope recently observed edge-on starburst galaxy Messier 82 (M82), nicknamed the Cigar Galaxy. Webb’s near-infrared-light view is a snapshot in time, revealing a scene that has been evolving over a couple hundred million years. In near-infrared light, astronomers can see the galaxy’s distended disc structure and millions of individual stars (approximately 16.5 million) for the first time.

Webb’s imaging survey of the galaxy is helping astronomers investigate the formation history of M82 and will also shed light on the current processes occurring within the starburst galaxy.

[Image description: Edge-on spiral starburst galaxy Messier 82 as imaged by Webb. Hourglass-shaped red-orange plumes of material are shooting outward from above and below a bright blue-white, disc-shaped centre. Messier 82 is set against the black background of space, which has many distant galaxies that appear as small white and orange spirals, ovals, and points of light. Toward the right of Messier 82 is a blue-white star with eight-pointed diffraction spikes that are characteristic of Webb.]