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The world’s most powerful space telescope, James Webb Observatory offers a breathtaking view of galaxy M83 in all its glory. It skillfully captured this image using one of its high-performance infrared instruments, the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI). Identified as NGC 5236 as well, M83 stands as a barred spiral galaxy positioned approximately 15 million light-years away from our own cosmic neighbourhood.
A Stellar View
- In the picture, the bright blue parts at the center show places where there are many stars in the middle of M83.
- The bright yellow streaks spreading out show where new stars are being born, like baby stars.
- The orange-red spots show areas with special carbon-based compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that the MIRI instrument is really good at finding.
As per the European Space Agency (ESA), this picture was created using data gathered from only two of MIRI’s ten filters which are sensitive to shorter wavelengths. This approach has resulted in an exceptionally intricate image revealing the intricate patterns of gas, dust, and stars that extend like creeping tendrils.
Astronomers pointed the MIRI instrument at M83 as part of the FEAST program. The goal of FEAST is to figure out how the birth of stars is connected to the way stars give out matter and energy as they form which is known as stellar feedback.
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Scientists have had the opportunity to observe the M83 galaxy on previous occasions. In recent years, the Hubble telescope has provided us with some truly captivating views of this beautiful spiral wonder.
M83 is a super bright spiral galaxy that really stands out in the night sky. If you want to see it easily, May is the best time and all you need are basic binoculars. The person who deserves the credit for finding it is the French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille who first saw it up there in 1752.