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Dusty Supernovae (MIRI Compass Image)

This image of NGC 6946 highlighting two supernovae, SN 2004et and SN 2017eaw, by Webb’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Camera), shows compass arrows, scale bar, and color key for reference. The north and east compass arrows show the orientation of the image on the sky. The scale bar is labeled 2,600 light-years. This image shows invisible mid-infrared wavelengths of light that have been translated into visible-light colors. The color key shows which MIRI filters were used when collecting the light. The color of each filter name is the visible light color used to represent the infrared light that passes through that filter.In these images, blue, green, and red were assigned to Webb’s MIRI data at 10; 11.3, 12.8, and 15.0; and 18 and 21 microns (F1000W; F1130W, F1280W, and F1500W; and F1800W and F2100W, respectively).

This image of NGC 6946 highlighting two supernovae, SN 2004et and SN 2017eaw, by Webb’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Camera), shows compass arrows, scale bar, and color key for reference.

The north and east compass arrows show the orientation of the image on the sky. The scale bar is labeled 2,600 light-years.

This image shows invisible mid-infrared wavelengths of light that have been translated into visible-light colors. The color key shows which MIRI filters were used when collecting the light. The color of each filter name is the visible light color used to represent the infrared light that passes through that filter.In these images, blue, green, and red were assigned to Webb’s MIRI data at 10; 11.3, 12.8, and 15.0; and 18 and 21 microns (F1000W; F1130W, F1280W, and F1500W; and F1800W and F2100W, respectively).

Read the full image caption.

About the Object

  • R.A. Position
    R.A. PositionRight ascension – analogous to longitude – is one component of an object's position.
    20:34:52.30
  • Dec. Position
    Dec. PositionDeclination – analogous to latitude – is one component of an object's position.
    +60:09:14.00
  • Constellation
    ConstellationOne of 88 recognized regions of the celestial sphere in which the object appears.
    Cygnus
  • Distance
    DistanceThe 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.
    22.5 million light-years away
  • Dimensions
    DimensionsThe physical size of the object or the apparent angle it subtends on the sky.
    Image is about 2.9 arcminutes across (~19,000 light-years)

About the Data

  • Data Description
    Data 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: 2666 (O. Fox). 

  • Instrument
    InstrumentThe science instrument used to produce the data.
    NIRCam
  • Exposure Dates
    Exposure DatesThe date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time.
    20 Sept 2022
  • Filters
    FiltersThe camera filters that were used in the science observations.
    F1000W, F1130W, F1280W, F1500W, F1800W, F2100W
  • Object Name
    Object NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.
    NGC 6946, SN2004et, SN2017eaw
  • Object Description
    Object DescriptionThe type of astronomical object.
    Dusty supernovae in spiral galaxy NGC 6946
  • Release Date
    July 5, 2023
  • Science Release
    Webb Locates Dust Reservoirs in Two Supernovae
    Read the release
  • Credit
    NASA, ESA, CSA, Ori Fox (STScI), Melissa Shahbandeh (STScI); Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI)

Downloads

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This image of NGC 6946 highlighting two supernovae, SN 2004et and SN 2017eaw, by Webb’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Camera), shows compass arrows, scale bar, and color key for reference. The north and east compass arrows show the orientation of the image on the sky. The scale bar is labeled 2,600 light-years. This image shows invisible mid-infrared wavelengths of light that have been translated into visible-light colors. The color key shows which MIRI filters were used when collecting the light. The color of each filter name is the visible light color used to represent the infrared light that passes through that filter.In these images, blue, green, and red were assigned to Webb’s MIRI data at 10; 11.3, 12.8, and 15.0; and 18 and 21 microns (F1000W; F1130W, F1280W, and F1500W; and F1800W and F2100W, respectively).
Color Info
Color InfoA brief description of the methods used to convert telescope data into the color image being presented.

These images are a composite of separate exposures acquired by the James Webb Space Telescope using the MIRI instrument. Several filters were used to sample wide 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:   Blue: F1000W, Green: F1130W+ F1280W + F1500, Red: F1800W + F2100W

Related Images & Videos

A 4-part image is split down the middle with a vertical white line, at the top right of each half of the image is a white box extending out from lines connected to smaller white boxes in each image. On the left side, the large white box connected to the smaller white box is labeled SN 2004et. In this larger box is a zoomed-in image of a dot on the larger background image, and the zoomed-in image appears as a splotchy, red and white circle. On the right side, the large white box is labeled SN 2017eaw, and the zoomed-in image is a small light blue dot. The background images on each side are mostly black sections of a galaxy, with various smatterings of white dust clumps, small red dots, and light blue dots.

Dusty Supernovae (MIRI)

Images from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) reveal large amounts of dust within two Type II supernovae, Supernova 2004et (SN2004 et) and Supernova 2017eaw (SN 2017eaw), located 22 million light-years away from Earth in spiral galaxy NGC 6946....

A large galaxy takes up the entirety of the image. The galaxy has a bright white core, and several large spiral arms extending out from that core. The arms are light blue with many pink speckles and clumps littering the arms. The background surrounding the galaxy is also filled with a smattering of white and pink dots. At the bottom left of the image, there is a small white circle and line extending out from it with the label SN 2004et. At the upper left center of the image, there is another small white circle with a line extending out from it labeled SN 2017eaw. These labels are used to show where the supernovae are located in the context of the galaxy.

NGC 6946 (Kitt Peak National Observatory)

This image from the Kitt Peak National Observatory of NGC 6946 contextualizes the locations of Supernova 2004et and Supernova 2017eaw within the galaxy. Scientists using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) found large amounts of dust within two...

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Last Updated
Aug 28, 2025
Contact
Media

Laura Betz
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
laura.e.betz@nasa.gov

Science Credit

NASA, ESA, CSA, Ori Fox (STScI), Melissa Shahbandeh (STScI)

Image Processing Credit

Alyssa Pagan (STScI)

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