Centaurus A (annotated MIRI image)

Annotated image of the active galaxy Centaurus A captured by the James Webb Space Telescope’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument), with compass arrows, a scale bar, and colour key for reference.

The north and east compass arrows show the orientation of the image on the sky. Note that the relationship between north and east on the sky (as seen from below) is flipped relative to direction arrows on a map of the ground (as seen from above).

The scale bar is labeled in light-years.

This image shows invisible mid-infrared wavelengths of light that have been translated into visible-light colours. The colour key shows which MIRI filters were used when collecting the light. The colour of each filter name is the visible light colour used to represent the infrared light that passes through that filter.

[Image description: Annotated image of galaxy Centaurus A captured by Webb’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument), with compass arrows, a scale bar, and colour key for reference. A horizontal image of the galaxy stretches across a black background filled with thousands of tiny purple, pink, and white points of light. The galaxy is brightest at its centre. Delicate loops and ribbons of pink and lavender arc above and below the centre of the image in the shape of an ‘S’. A band of gray and white dust in the shape of a parallelogram cuts across the middle of the galaxy. The galaxy’s outer edges fade into soft plumes with feathery textures that stretch toward the left and right sides of the image. Below the image is a colour key showing which of Webb’s MIRI filters were used to create the image and which visible-light colour is assigned to each filter. From left to right: F560W is blue; F770W is green; and F1000W is red.]