This collage from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope shows NGC 1433 (Left), NGC 7496 (Middle) and NGC 1365 (Right) galaxies

Credits: NASA, ESA, CSA et al

One of a total of 19 galaxies chosen for investigation by the Physics at High Angular resolution in Nearby Galaxies (PHANGS) collaboration may be seen in this image captured by the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope. Webb's Mid-Infrared Instrument provides a whole new view of the nearby barred spiral galaxy NGC 1433. (MIRI).

The spiral arms of NGC 1433 are covered with remnants of incredibly young stars that have released energy and, in some cases, blown away the gas and dust of the interstellar medium. As clumps of dust and gas in the interstellar medium absorb the light from new stars and emit it back out in the infrared, areas that previously appeared dark and dim in optical imaging lit up under Webb's infrared view.

A striking illustration of the part dynamic processes inside the gas, dust, and developing stars play in the greater structure of an entire galaxy may be found in Webb's image of NGC 1433.

Webb's high resolution reveals a tight, brilliant core at the galactic center with a distinctive double ring structure that shines in exquisite detail. In this instance, the double ring is actually an oval-shaped spiral structure formed by spiral arms that are tightly wound around the galaxy's bar axis. 

Seyfert galaxies, which are quite close to Earth and have a bright, active core, include NGC 1433. The MIRI image of NGC 1433's brightness and absence of dust may indicate a recent galaxy merger or possibly a galaxy collision.

Credit:

NASA, ESA, CSA, and J. Lee (NOIRLab), A. Pagan (STScI)

With the extraordinary resolution of the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, researchers are receiving their first look at how the evolution of nearby galaxies is influenced by the generation of young stars. This image from Webb's Mid-Infrared Instrument shows the spiral arms of NGC 7496, one of a total of 19 galaxies chosen for research by the Physics at High Angular resolution in Nearby Galaxies (PHANGS) team. The spiral arms are packed with cavernous bubbles and shells that overlap one another (MIRI). These hollow voids and filaments are proof that newborn stars that have just formed have released energy and, in some circumstances, blown away the gas and dust of the interstellar medium. 

About 24 million light-years from Earth, in the constellation Grus, is NGC 7496 located. An active galactic core is located in the middle of the barred spiral galaxy NGC 7496. (AGN). A supermassive black hole that is producing winds and jets is known as an AGN. In the center of this Webb image, the AGN is clearly visible. Moreover, Webb's high sensitivity detects a variety of background galaxies that are far away from NGC 7496 and occasionally seem green or red.

According to MIRI observations of NGC 1365, clumps of dust and gas in the interstellar medium have absorbed light from forming stars and released it in the infrared, illuminating a complex web of cavernous bubbles and filamentary shells that are influenced by young stars releasing energy into the galaxy's spiral arms. A few exceptionally brilliant star clusters around the center and freshly discovered, recently created clusters along the spiral arms' outer margins are also visible thanks to Webb's superb resolution.

The Webb photos also shed light on how the population of older clusters outside the inner star-formation ring is affected by the different orbits of stars and gas depending on where they originate. A double-barred spiral galaxy called NGC 1365 is located around 56 million light-years from Earth. It is one of the biggest galaxies that astronomers are currently aware of; it is twice as long as the Milky Way.