- NASA released new jaw-dropping images of the universe in stunning detail.
- The images were enhanced using data from the James Webb Space Telescope and the Chandra X-ray Observatory.
NASA has shared more dazzling images of the universe.
Four new images, released last week, provide a peek at two galaxies, a nebula, and a star cluster. The images were made possible by data collected from the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, the James Webb Space Telescope, and the Hubble Space Telescope.
"Each image combines Chandra's X-rays — a form of high-energy light — with infrared data from previously released Webb images, both of which are invisible to the unaided eye," NASA said in a statement accompanying the release.
Take a look at each cosmic wonder in stunning detail below.
The colorful cluster NGC 346 is a city of stars
NGC 346 is a star cluster in a galaxy 200,000 light-years from Earth — the Small Magellanic Cloud, which you can see with the naked eye in some of the darkest skies on Earth.
Star clusters are like massive cities, but for stars. They can consist of hundreds to millions of stars that all form within regions of interstellar gas and dust called molecular clouds.
Thanks to the James Webb Telescope, you can see this gas and dust as a purple and pink mist permeating the bright and brilliant stars in the image above.
"The Chandra data also reveal young, hot, and massive stars that send powerful winds outward from their surfaces," NASA said.
Finally, you can spot a supernova remnant in this photo. See it? According to NASA, it's the purple cloud on the upper left of the image.
The beautiful spiral galaxy NGC 1672 shows off its black holes and neutron stars
NGC 1672 is a spiral galaxy about 60 million light-years from Earth.
Astronomers classify it as a "barred" spiral galaxy due to its shape, which includes, straight "barred" arms of stars near its center. The arms of other spirals twist more as they approach the core.
In the image, X-ray data from Chandra reveal black holes in the process of slowly consuming companion stars as well as supernova remnants and neutron stars — extremely dense cores of massive stars that have reached their end.
The mesmerizing spiral galaxy M74 looks like a work of art
Like the Milky Way galaxy that Earth calls home, Messier 74 (M74) is a spiral galaxy, but it's 32 million light-years away.
M74 is sometimes called the Phantom Galaxy because it is relatively dim — and harder to see with small telescopes than some other galaxies.
"Webb outlines gas and dust in the infrared while Chandra data spotlights high-energy activity from stars at X-ray wavelengths," NASA said. "Hubble optical data showcases additional stars and dust along the dust lanes."
The majestic Eagle Nebula M16 looks ghostly
Messier 16 (M16), also called the Eagle Nebula, is roughly 6,500 light-years away. The image depicts the region of the sky called the "Pillars of Creation," which includes dense clouds of dust and gas, seen here, containing young stars.
"The Webb image shows the dark columns of gas and dust shrouding the few remaining fledgling stars just being formed," NASA said. "The Chandra sources, which look like dots, are young stars that give off copious amounts of X-rays."