Astronomers have published a new image taken by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). It shows a nearby galaxy that is brighter than the Milky Way.
The galaxy photographed by JWST is known as M82, and is sometimes referred to as the Cigar Galaxy. It is located 12 million light years from the Milky Way in the direction of the constellation Ursa Major.
Although M82 is smaller than the Milky Way, it is five times brighter than our galaxy and forms stars ten times faster. M82 is classified as a starburst galaxy because it forms new stars at a rate far exceeding what would be expected for a galaxy of its mass, especially in the center. In visible light images of M82, the central region of activity is obscured by a network of dense, dusty clouds. The NIRCam (near-infrared camera) installed on the JWST managed to penetrate their thick veil, revealing all the bright glory of the galaxy’s center.
What caused the burst of star formation in M82? The answer probably lies in its neighbor, the larger spiral galaxy M81. Researchers suggest that the two galaxies interacted gravitationally, causing gas to rush into the center of M82 millions of years ago. The influx of gas provided the raw material for the formation of new stars. Currently, M82 is home to more than 100 stellar superclusters, some of which are still in the process of formation and are covered with dense, dusty gas. They are more massive and brighter than typical star clusters: each one contains hundreds of thousands of stars.
The previous image of M82 from JWST was published in 2024. That photo focused on the very center of the galaxy, where individual clusters of young stars stood out against the backdrop of clusters and filaments of gas. The new image shows a wider view of the bright center of M82, capturing the glow of billions of stars, as well as the glow of organic molecules called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs.
Researchers used new data to identify trails detectable by the radiation emitted by PAHs molecules. Each trail is about 160 light-years wide. JWST images show that these trails consist of many separate clouds with diameters ranging from 16 to 49 light-years. Apparently, they were captured by powerful galactic winds and carried away from the disk of M82.
Ultimately, this phenomenon points to the remarkable abundance of massive star clusters in the galaxy. As they form, their newborn stars burn the surrounding gas with high-energy radiation and particles, creating a powerful wind that can be seen in the JWST image.
According to Esawebb
