The galaxy is located in the constellation of Pisces, according to the European Space Agency, which collaborates with NASA on both the Hubble Telescope and the James Webb Telescope.
The Phantom Galaxy, officially known as M74, is a type of spiral galaxy known as a “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 images were created using data from both the Hubble Telescope and the Webb Telescope. Webb has detected “fine filaments of gas and dust” in the galaxy’s spiral arms, according to the European Space Agency. The images also provide a clear view of the stellar nuclear cluster at the center of the galaxy, devoid of gas.
The European Space Agency said the Webb Telescope also used its Medium Infrared Instrument (MIRI) to examine the phantom galaxy as part of a project to understand the early stages of star formation.
While Webb is best at observing infrared wavelengths, Hubble has particularly sharp vision at ultraviolet and visible wavelengths, the agency says. 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.
The Webb released its first high-resolution images just weeks ago in July. Larger than Hubble, the telescope is able to observe very distant galaxies, allowing scientists to learn regarding the early formation of stars. Hubble orbits Earth but Webb orbits the Sun, regarding a million miles from Earth.
