A new image from NASA's Webb Space Telescope showcases the brilliant heart of a spiral galaxy, outshining everything within sight. Released this week, the picture depicts Messier 77, a galaxy located 45 million light-years away in the constellation Cetus, also known as the whale. A light-year is approximately 6 trillion miles.
Galactic Core Revealed
The galaxy's active nucleus is powered by a supermassive black hole that is 8 million times more massive than the sun. Surrounding gas is drawn into a tight orbit around the black hole, becoming so intensely hot that it radiates extreme levels of energy. Webb's mid-infrared instrument captured these stunning details, providing unprecedented clarity.
Since its launch in 2021, the Webb Space Telescope—the world's largest and most powerful space telescope—has been continuously photographing the cosmos, offering new insights into the universe's most fascinating phenomena.
This article was produced by the Associated Press Health and Science Department, which receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
