Chapter 1: Overview of the Phantom Galaxy

The James Webb Space Telescope offers an awe-inspiring view of the Phantom Galaxy, located an astonishing 32 million light-years away from Earth.

“Delicate gray, intricate filaments create a spiral pattern that extends outward from the galaxy's core. These spiral arms, illuminated by blue hues and bursts of pink, signify regions where star formation is actively occurring. The galaxy's center is a vibrant blue, dotted with young stars forming around its nucleus.” (Image credit: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, J. Lee and the PHANGS-JWST Team. Acknowledgement: J. Schmidt)

Since its successful launch on Christmas Day, 2021, the James Webb Space Telescope has ignited aspirations for countless careers in STEM fields. It has transmitted images of the universe that surpass anything humanity has previously observed and executed complex tasks—such as deploying its large primary mirror in space—without a hitch.

Beyond inspiring future scientists and engineers, Webb has fostered a sense of unity in a divided world and sparked the imaginations of students everywhere. It has also united the scientific community in unprecedented ways.

The recent images of the Phantom Galaxy exemplify the strength of scientific collaboration across various disciplines, locations, and decades. These remarkable visuals were achieved through a unique partnership among several space observatories, agencies, and research teams.

“By integrating data from telescopes that operate across the electromagnetic spectrum, scientists can gain deeper insights into astronomical objects than by relying on a single observatory—even one as powerful as Webb!” states NASA regarding this collaboration. “MIRI was contributed by ESA and NASA, with the instrument designed and constructed by a consortium of European institutions in collaboration with JPL and the University of Arizona.”

“Webb focused on M74 using its Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI) to explore the early stages of star formation in our local Universe,” NASA elaborates. “These observations are part of a broader initiative to map 19 nearby star-forming galaxies in infrared light via the international PHANGS collaboration. These galaxies had already been studied with the Hubble Space Telescope and ground-based observatories.”

“The addition of exceptional Webb observations in longer wavelengths enables astronomers to accurately identify star-forming regions within galaxies, assess the masses and ages of star clusters, and obtain insights into the tiny particles of dust drifting through interstellar space,” NASA assures.

“Hubble's observations of M74 have unveiled particularly bright areas of star formation known as HII regions,” NASA continues. “Hubble’s sharp focus in ultraviolet and visible wavelengths complements Webb’s unmatched sensitivity in infrared light, as do observations from ground-based radio telescopes like the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA).”

The vibrant blue, unobstructed view of the Phantom Galaxy has already stirred interest among astronomers and scientific publications regarding the latest insights offered by Webb’s advanced infrared imaging capabilities.

NASA notes that this image showcases Webb’s near-infrared data combined with Hubble’s optical data. Lacy red filaments spiral out from the galaxy's center, over a dark field sprinkled with stars. The center glows softly, with red filaments featuring bright pink pops, indicating areas of star formation. The red color represents dust, with lighter oranges indicating hotter dust. Young stars throughout the arms and around the galaxy's core appear blue, while heavier, older stars near the center are shown in cyan and green, contributing to its glow. The pink accents represent areas of active star formation.

“Together, Hubble and Webb provide a comprehensive understanding of the majestic M74 galaxy,” NASA explains.

The first video titled "Phantom Galaxy through James Webb and Hubble 'eyes' is absolutely stunning" offers a deep dive into this celestial marvel. It discusses the merging observations from both telescopes and what they reveal about star formation.

“The addition of crystal-clear Webb observations at longer wavelengths will allow astronomers to pinpoint star-forming regions in the galaxies, accurately measure the masses and ages of star clusters, and gain insights into the nature of the small grains of dust drifting in interstellar space,” stated the European Space Agency.

“This image is split into three distinct perspectives of the same region in the Phantom Galaxy. On the left is Hubble's optical view, showcasing brown filaments spiraling from a bright core, with pink star-forming regions and blue stars scattered throughout. The middle view combines data from Webb and Hubble, highlighting delicate red filaments over a dark star-speckled field, with pink indicating star formation. The right view is a mid-infrared image from Webb, showing gray filaments spiraling out, traced by blue star formations and a cluster of young stars glowing at the galaxy's center.”

“New images of the Phantom Galaxy, M74, illustrate the capabilities of space observatories collaborating across multiple wavelengths,” NASA explains. “On the left, Hubble presents a view that captures older, redder stars towards the center, younger, bluer stars in the spiral arms, and the most active stellar formations in the red bubbles of H II regions. Conversely, the image from Webb highlights the gas and dust masses within the galaxy’s arms, along with a dense cluster of stars at its core. The combined central image offers a distinctive perspective on this ‘grand design’ spiral galaxy.”

The remarkable recent images of the Phantom Galaxy provided by Webb represent an exciting new addition to our understanding. Together with prior observations, they deliver the most comprehensive view yet of this distant star collection, which includes stars, planets, and exoplanets.

It presents an unparalleled opportunity for scientists to study this specific type of galaxy, referred to as a “grand design spiral.”

In April 1990, after years of meticulous planning and research, the Hubble Space Telescope was launched. It emerged from 100,000 hours of effort, marking a significant era in space exploration that began in the time of Galileo.

While Hubble was the pinnacle of space exploration in 1990, it was not without its flaws. Initially, it faced a significant malfunction, leaving gaps in our understanding of the cosmos despite its many contributions to scientific knowledge.

Hubble is indeed a powerful instrument, but it remains constrained by its orbit around Earth. Regardless of its capabilities, it has been limited to our planet's orbit since its launch.

In contrast, the James Webb Space Telescope orbits the Sun, nearly a million miles away from Earth. This vast distance means that even at the surface of Pluto, the Sun would not be the brightest star in the sky.

What wonders could Webb uncover as it peers beyond the boundaries of the Sun’s orbit? What new revelations might be waiting to be discovered in our own cosmic neighborhood?

The Milky Way possesses uncharted depths that scientists have yet to explore. A closer examination of our neighboring celestial bodies—especially their moons—has already unveiled surprising new details about the inhabitants of our galaxy.

What astonishing discoveries lie ahead may prove even more remarkable.

(contributing writer, Brooke Bell)

The second video titled "James Webb Space Telescope's stunning 'Phantom Galaxy'" delves into the incredible images captured by Webb and discusses their implications for our understanding of galactic formation.