The Phantom Galaxy, officially known as M74, is a type of spiral galaxy known as the “Great Design Spiral”. This means that it has well-defined helical arms, and they finish clearly off the center in the newly released photos.
The Webb Telescope also used the Intermediate Infrared Instrument (MIRI) to examine the phantom galaxy as part of a project to understand the early stages of star formation, as noted by the European Space Agency.
While Webb is best at observing infrared wavelengths of light, Hubble has particularly sharp vision at ultraviolet and visible wavelengths, according to the agency. This allowed it to reveal particularly bright regions of star formation, known as HII regions, in the Phantom Galaxy images.
Combining data from both telescopes has allowed scientists to gain a deeper understanding of the ghost galaxy – and create stunning images of the universe.
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