Beacon of Light
The James Webb Space Telescope has captured a stunning image of the barred spiral galaxy Messier 77. Located 45 million light-years away in the constellation Cetus, M77 is notable for its bright core, which is influenced by a central black hole. The image showcases the intense radiation emitted as gas orbits the black hole, creating striking optical effects known as diffraction spikes.
- ▪Messier 77 is a barred spiral galaxy located 45 million light-years away.
- ▪The galaxy's bright core is due to gas being pulled into orbit by a central black hole.
- ▪The image features diffraction spikes, which are optical effects from the telescope.
NASA — Breaking News files mainly under science. We currently carry 82 of its stories.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
1 min readBeacon of LightHQ Web TeamMay 18, 2026 Image Article This latest Picture of the Month from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope features Messier 77 (M77), a barred spiral galaxy famous and appreciated among astronomers for its combination of relative proximity and spectacular features to study. It is located 45 million light-years away in the constellation Cetus (The Whale). ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, A. Leroy The heart of galaxy M77 shines brightly in this May 7, 2026, image from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. The intense glow is due to gas being pulled by the strong gravity of the central black hole into a tight and rapid orbit around it. The motion of the gas causes it to heat up, releasing tremendous amounts of radiation.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at NASA.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from NASA
