Hubble Webb Split Galaxy Image (IMAGE)
Caption
This image shows two views of the same spiral galaxy, called IC 5332, as seen by two NASA observatories – the James Webb Space Telescope’s observations appear at the top left and the Hubble Space Telescope’s at the bottom right. The views are mainly so different due to the wavelengths of light they each showcase. Hubble’s visible and ultraviolet observation features dark regions where dust absorbs those types of light. Webb sees longer wavelengths and detects that dust glowing in infrared. But neither could conduct an efficient survey of our Milky Way galaxy because it covers so much sky area; since IC 5332 is around 30 million light-years away, it appears as a small spot. It would take Hubble or Webb decades to survey the Milky Way, but NASA’s upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope could do it in less than a month.
Visual description: Two contrasting observations of a spiral galaxy appear beside each other with the frame split diagonally between them. The galaxy’s core is roughly centered with bright arms arcing outward and wrapping around clockwise like a cinnamon roll. The bottom right part of the image appears dusty, with hazy brown lanes streaked in spirals on a background speckled with tiny bluish white stars. The center is a pale yellow, and several bright pink areas are scattered across this half of the image. The top left part of the image has fiery orange filaments where the bottom right has dark dust lanes. On the top left side, the galaxy appears much more see-through, making it easier to distinguish more distant stars. The background stars are a deeper blue, and there are fewer and smaller bright pink spots.
Credit
NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Janice Lee (STScI), Thomas Williams (Oxford), Rupali Chandar (UToledo), PHANGS Team
Usage Restrictions
No restrictions.
License
Public Domain