Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured a detailed mid-infrared image of the Sombrero galaxy, revealing new features and challenging previous observations of this well-known celestial object.
Credit : NASA
The mid-infrared view, taken by Webb’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument), alters the galaxy’s typical hat-like appearance, showcasing it as a structure resembling an archery target, with a dimmed core and a smooth inner disk.
Credit : NASA
The image highlights intricate dust clumps in the galaxy’s outer ring, providing astronomers with valuable information about the distribution of material and the galaxy’s structural composition.
Credit : NASA
The detection of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons—carbon-based molecules often associated with star-forming regions—suggests potential for stellar activity, though the Sombrero galaxy remains relatively quiet in star production.
Credit : NASA
Compared to the Milky Way’s production of two solar masses of stars annually, the Sombrero galaxy forms fewer than one solar mass per year, reflecting its subdued star-forming activity.
Credit : NASA
At the heart of the galaxy lies a supermassive black hole with a mass equivalent to 9 billion suns. Despite its immense size, this black hole is relatively inactive, consuming material at a slow pace and emitting a faint jet.
The galaxy, located 30 million light-years away in the Virgo constellation, is home to approximately 2,000 globular clusters, providing astronomers with opportunities to study the life cycles of stars.
This image is part of Webb’s mission to explore cosmic mysteries. As the telescope prepares for its fourth year of science operations in 2025, its observations continue to offer groundbreaking insights into the universe.