The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has captured an image of the galaxy M83, also known as NGC 5236. The image was taken using the telescope’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), which observes the universe through infrared wavelengths. M83, a barred spiral galaxy located about 15 million light-years away, is of special interest to astronomers studying star formation.
The image reveals dense star areas in the galaxy’s center, shown in bright blue. Bright yellow tendrils indicate stellar nurseries where new stars are being formed, and orange-red splashes mark regions rich in carbon-based compounds known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The MIRI’s wavelengths are ideal for detecting these compounds.
The image of M83 was captured as part of the Feedback in Emerging extragalactic Star clusters (FEAST) program. This program aims to understand the link between star formation and stellar feedback, which is the process where stars eject matter and energy during formation. By studying this relationship, astronomers hope to improve their models of star birth and growth. The FEAST program will include observations of six total galaxies.
Key Takeaways:
- The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has captured an image of the galaxy M83 using its Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), aiding astronomers in their research on star formation.
- M83, a barred spiral galaxy located 15 million light-years away, reveals areas of dense stars, stellar nurseries where new stars are forming, and regions rich in carbon-based compounds through MIRI’s wavelengths.
- The FEAST program uses JWST to understand how star formation is linked to stellar feedback, the process where stars eject matter and energy as they form, which helps astronomers improve their models of star birth and growth.
“Also known as NGC 5236, M83 is a barred spiral galaxy located about 15 million light-years from us. It’s of particular interest to astronomers trying to learn more about star formation. The James Webb Space Telescope’s MIRI is their current tool of choice in that quest because, as its name suggests, it observes the universe through infrared wavelengths between 5,000 and 28,000 nanometers.”
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