"The JWST has been operational since its launch in 2021."
Active Nucleus of Messier 77
NASA has released an image from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) showcasing the spiral galaxy Messier 77 (M77), also known as NGC 1068. Located approximately 45 million light-years from Earth in the Cetus constellation, the galaxy's core is a focal point of study.
The image, captured by the telescope's Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), highlights the galaxy's active galactic nucleus. This nucleus is powered by a supermassive black hole with a mass estimated at approximately 8 million times that of the Sun. According to reports, gas surrounding the black hole becomes extremely hot as it orbits, emitting intense radiation.
"Gas surrounding the black hole becomes extremely hot as it orbits and emits intense radiation."
Star-Forming Gases at the Center of the Milky Way
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) has released an image of star-forming gases located at the center of our own Milky Way galaxy. The image, released on a Wednesday, was captured by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in the Atacama Desert, Chile.
The image depicts a region of cold cosmic gases and dust spanning over 650 light-years that surrounds the supermassive black hole at the galactic center. The ESO stated that this is the largest image ever captured by the ALMA network. The observation covers an area known as the Central Molecular Zone.
"This is the largest image ever captured by the ALMA network."
Survey leader Steve Longmore of Liverpool John Moores University noted that studying star formation in this zone can help astronomers better understand galaxy evolution. Ashley Barnes, a research team member from the ESO, described the area as having extreme conditions and emphasized that the new image reveals the region in "extraordinary detail."