By Aazam
A dramatic new image of a spiral galaxy captured by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) looks like a celestial seashell formed from blue and pink gossamer filaments of gas.
– This galaxy, called M74, appears like a nautilus seashell whose spiral dimensions are believed to follow the Fibonacci sequence.
– Galaxy M74 also known as the Phantom Galaxy, M74 is located approximately 32 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Pisces.
– The Phantom Galaxy or Galaxy M74 is also known as the "Grand Design Spiral" due to its prominent and well-defined spiral arms.
– The image shows delicate filaments of gas and dust in gorgeous spiral arms, which wind outward from the center of the image.
– M74's view via Hubble shows older, red stars toward the center, smaller and bluer stars in the galaxy's spiral arms, as well as stars forming in red bubbles.
– This new sharp infrared observation from JWST is dominated by the gas and dust within the galaxy's arms as well as a dense cluster of stars at its core.
– The red colors in the image indicate the dust that has been pushed through the galaxy's arms, and the lighter orange ones indicate the region of hot dust.
– Star-forming regions are indicated through pink bubbles. Also stated by ESA representatives that, "Such a variety of galactic features are rare in a single image."