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This image of a pair of galaxies – one elliptical (left) and the other spiral (right) – reveals something special: the supermassive black hole at the center of the large spiral galaxy. As the black hole gobbles up surrounding gas and dust, that material heats up and lets out a tremendous amount of energy, making the galaxy’s core shine brightly. The black hole also displays @NASAWebb’s characteristic diffraction spikes, caused by the light emitted interacting with the structure of the telescope itself.

Webb observed this galactic pair collectively known as Arp 107 with two instruments, MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) and NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera), that observe different light wavelengths. Each wavelength offers unique insights into the structure of Arp 107. This image comes from MIRI.

Image description: A pair of interacting galaxies. The larger of the two galaxies is slightly right of center, and is composed of a bright, white center and a ring of blue, gaseous filaments. The center of this galaxy shows Webb’s eight-pronged diffraction pattern. There are three filaments of gas and dust moving from the ring toward the center. At the top left of the ring is a noticeable gap, bordered by two large, blue pockets of dust and gas. The smaller galaxy is made of hazy, light blue gas and dust. Many red, green, blue, and yellow galaxies are spread throughout, with some being hazier in composition and others having more defined spiral patterns.

Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI

#NASA #Galaxy #Astronomy #Telescope #Webb #BlackHole

 [ INFORMATION DATA: 19 September 2024 ]