1 min read
Cartwheel Galaxy (NIRCam and MIRI Composite Image)
This image of the Cartwheel and its companion galaxies is a composite from Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), which reveals details that are difficult to see in the individual images alone.
This galaxy formed as the result of a high-speed collision that occurred about 400 million years ago. The Cartwheel is composed of two rings, a bright inner ring and a colorful outer ring. Both rings expand outward from the center of the collision like shockwaves.
However, despite the impact, much of the character of the large, spiral galaxy that existed before the collision remains, including its rotating arms. This leads to the “spokes” that inspired the name of the Cartwheel Galaxy, which are the bright red streaks seen between the inner and outer rings. These brilliant red hues, located not only throughout the Cartwheel, but also the companion spiral galaxy at the top left, are caused by glowing, hydrocarbon-rich dust.
In this near- and mid-infrared composite image, MIRI data are colored red while NIRCam data are colored blue, orange, and yellow. Amidst the red swirls of dust, there are many individual blue dots, which represent individual stars or pockets of star formation. NIRCam also defines the difference between the older star populations and dense dust in the core and the younger star populations outside of it.
Webb’s observations capture the Cartwheel in a very transitory stage. The form that the Cartwheel Galaxy will eventually take, given these two competing forces, is still a mystery. However, this snapshot provides perspective on what happened to the galaxy in the past and what it will do in the future.
NIRCam was built by a team at the University of Arizona and Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Technology Center.
MIRI was contributed by ESA and NASA, with the instrument designed and built by a consortium of nationally funded European Institutes (The MIRI European Consortium) in partnership with JPL and the University of Arizona.
About the Object
- R.A. PositionR.A. PositionRight ascension – analogous to longitude – is one component of an object's position.00:37:41.09
- Dec. PositionDec. PositionDeclination – analogous to latitude – is one component of an object's position.-33:42:59.0
- ConstellationConstellationOne of 88 recognized regions of the celestial sphere in which the object appears.Sculptor
- DistanceDistanceThe physical distance from Earth to the astronomical object. Distances within our solar system are usually measured in Astronomical Units (AU). Distances between stars are usually measured in light-years. Interstellar distances can also be measured in parsecs.500 million light-years (150 Mpc)
- DimensionsDimensionsThe physical size of the object or the apparent angle it subtends on the sky.Image is 2.34 arcmin across (about 340,000 light-years)
About the Data
- Data DescriptionData DescriptionProposal: A description of the observations, their scientific justification, and the links to the data available in the science archive.
Science Team: The astronomers who planned the observations and analyzed the data. "PI" refers to the Principal Investigator.This image was created with Webb data from proposal: 2727. It is part of Webb Early Release Observations.
The Early Release Observations and associated materials were developed, executed, and compiled by the ERO production team:
Jaclyn Barrientes, Claire Blome, Hannah Braun, Matthew Brown, Margaret Carruthers, Dan Coe, Joseph DePasquale, Nestor Espinoza, Macarena Garcia Marin, Karl Gordon, Alaina Henry, Leah Hustak, Andi James, Ann Jenkins, Anton Koekemoer, Stephanie LaMassa, David Law, Alexandra Lockwood, Amaya Moro-Martin, Susan Mullally, Alyssa Pagan, Dani Player, Klaus Pontoppidan, Charles Proffitt, Christine Pulliam, Leah Ramsay, Swara Ravindranath, Neill Reid, Massimo Robberto, Elena Sabbi, Leonardo Ubeda.
The EROs were also made possible by the foundational efforts and support from the JWST instruments, STScI planning and scheduling, Data Management teams, and Office of Public Outreach.
- InstrumentInstrumentThe science instrument used to produce the data.MIRI, NIRCam
- Exposure DatesExposure DatesThe date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time.10-11 June 2022
- FiltersFiltersThe camera filters that were used in the science observations.NIRCam> F090W, F150W, F200W, F277W, F356W, F444W MIRI> F770W, F1000W, F1280W, F1800W
- Object NameObject NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.Cartwheel Galaxy, ESO 350-40, AM0035-335
- Object DescriptionObject DescriptionThe type of astronomical object.Interacting Galaxies
- Release DateAugust 2, 2022
- Science ReleaseWebb Captures Stellar Gymnastics in the Cartwheel Galaxy
- CreditImage: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Webb ERO Production Team
These images are a composite of separate exposures acquired by the James Webb Space Telescope using the MIRI and NIRCam instruments. Several filters were used to sample narrow and broad wavelength ranges. The color results from assigning different hues (colors) to each monochromatic (grayscale) image associated with an individual filter. In this case, the assigned colors are: Red: F444W + F356W Orange: F770W + F1000W + F1280W + F1800W Yellow: F277W Green: F200W Blue: F150W + F090W
Related Images & Videos
Cartwheel Galaxy (MIRI Image)
This image from Webb’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) shows a group of galaxies, including a large distorted ring-shaped galaxy known as the Cartwheel. The Cartwheel Galaxy, located 500 million light-years away in the Sculptor constellation, is composed of a bright inner ring...
Cartwheel Galaxy (NIRCam and MIRI Composite Compass Image)
Image of the Cartwheel Galaxy, along with two smaller companion galaxies, captured by Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), with compass arrows, scale bar, and color key for reference. The north and east compass arrows show the orientation of...
Cartwheel Galaxy (MIRI Compass Image)
Image of the Cartwheel Galaxy, along with two smaller companion galaxies, captured by Webb’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), with compass arrows, scale bar, and color key for reference. The north and east compass arrows show the orientation of the image on the sky. Note that the...
Share
Details
Laura Betz
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
laura.e.betz@nasa.gov
NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Webb ERO Production Team
