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Galaxies in CEERS Field (NIRCam image)

James Webb Space Telescope image showing a broad area of space with many small galaxies, four of which are highlighted in pull-out boxes. The four highlighted galaxies are very small, appearing as points of light. Black areas of the overall image indicate where the telescope did not collect data – a vertical section in the center and a square in the lower left corner.

Four of the nine galaxies in the newly identified “platypus” sample were discovered in NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science Survey (CEERS). One key feature that makes them distinct is their point-like appearance, even to a telescope that can capture as much detail as Webb. 

About the Object

  • R.A. Position
    R.A. PositionRight ascension – analogous to longitude – is one component of an object's position.
    14:19:46
  • Dec. Position
    Dec. PositionDeclination – analogous to latitude – is one component of an object's position.
    +52:53:37
  • Constellation
    ConstellationOne of 88 recognized regions of the celestial sphere in which the object appears.
    Boötes
  • Dimensions
    DimensionsThe physical size of the object or the apparent angle it subtends on the sky.
    Image is about 8.8 arcminutes across.

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: 1345 (S. Finkelstein).

  • 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.
    20-21 Dec 2022, 24 Dec 2022 
  • Filters
    FiltersThe camera filters that were used in the science observations.
    F115W, F150W, F200W, F277W, F356W, F444W
  • Object Name
    Object NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.
    CEERS Survey, Extended Groth Strip
  • Object Description
    Object DescriptionThe type of astronomical object.
    New population of galaxies
  • Release Date
    January 6, 2026
  • Science Release
    Scientists Identify ‘Astronomy’s Platypus’ with NASA’s Webb Telescope
    Read the release
  • Credit
    Image: NASA, ESA, CSA, Steve Finkelstein (UT Austin); Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI)

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James Webb Space Telescope image showing a broad area of space with many small galaxies, four of which are highlighted in pull-out boxes. The four highlighted galaxies are very small, appearing as points of light. Black areas of the overall image indicate where the telescope did not collect data – a vertical section in the center and a square in the lower left corner.
Color Info
Color InfoA brief description of the methods used to convert telescope data into the color image being presented.

Color Info  These images are a composite of separate exposures acquired by the James Webb Space Telescope using the NIRCam 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: F115W+F150W Green: F200W + F277W Red: F356W + F444W

Related Images & Videos

Infographic titled Galaxy CEERS 4233-42232, comparison with quasar spectrum. Text at top right reads NIRSpec, Multi-Object Spectroscopy. Vertical Y axis of graph is labeled Brightness, more with an arrow pointing up and less with an arrow pointing down. Horizontal X axis is labeled Velocity of Gas (miles/second) in increments of one thousand starting with negative 4,000 on the left to 4,000 on the right. The spectrum of the galaxy is shown with a white line that peaks sharply at zero. The spectrum of the quasar example is shown with a dashed blue line that also peaks at zero, but with less brightness and a broader base that begins to increase in brightness at negative 1,000 miles per second the and declines to at about 1,500 miles per second.

Galaxy CEERS 4233-42232: Comparison With Quasar Spectrum

This graphic illustrates the pronounced narrow peak of the spectra that caught researchers’ attention in a small sample of galaxies, represented here by galaxy CEERS 4233-42232. Typically, distant point-like light sources are quasars, but quasar spectra have a much broader shape.

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Details

Last Updated
Jan 06, 2026
Location
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Contact
Media

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

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