The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has captured a magical composite image showing the beauty of barred spiral galaxy NGC 5068. Located about 20 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo, NGC 5068 is a star system full of celestial wonders. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson unveiled the stunning image during an event with students at the Copernicus Science Center in Warsaw, Poland.

The images are part of JWST’s ambitious campaign to study star formation in nearby galaxies and create a valuable observational repository. By focusing on the star-producing central regions of NGC 5068, astronomers hope to make significant scientific advances with the JWST raw data.

JWST observations complement previous work by other telescopes, including the Hubble Space Telescope, the Very Large Telescope (VLT), and the Ataka Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). By combining JWST images of 19 nearby star-forming galaxies with data from these telescopes, astronomers get a comprehensive picture of star formation processes.

One of the JWST’s greatest strengths is that it can see through gas and dust that blocks visible light. Using the Intermediate Infrared Instrument (MIRI) and the Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam), JWST can enter the dusty environment of NGC 5068, providing a unique insight into the star formation process. The presented composite image combines the capabilities of these two devices, offering a rare glimpse into the composition of NGC 5068.

The image shows the complex spiral structure of NGC 5068, adorned with glowing gas bubbles and newly formed star clusters. Additionally, traces of the three asteroids can be seen as tiny dots due to their closer location to the telescope compared to the distant galaxy. Tracks appear slightly different in each frame due to JWST’s multiple exposures, emphasizing their temporal nature.

In the JWST NIRCam image, NGC 5068 shows many stars clustered along the central bridge. The image also shows the red glow of gas clouds illuminated by young stars. NIRCam’s near-infrared range allows astronomers to penetrate the dusty environments of galaxies and study their large populations. In particular, dense, bright dust clouds known as H II regions are visible along the spiral arms where new stars are born. Energetic young stars in these regions ionize the surrounding hydrogen, creating a bright red glow.

Scientists believe NGC 5068 is the key to understanding the creation processes of the cosmos. JWST’s amazing capabilities continue to amaze us by providing invaluable insights into the birth of stars. The latest JWST helped us look at Fomalhaut, a massive star system full of new surprises. We look forward to making even more important discoveries in the near future as the telescope continues on its mission.