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| NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope recently captured the Sombrero galaxy using its MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument), revealing the clumpy structure of dust in the galaxy’s outer ring, with 7.7-micron light shown in blue, 11.3-micron light in green, and 12.8-micron light in red. |
In a new image captured by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, the Sombrero Galaxy, also known as Messier 104 (M104), appears less like its namesake—a broad-brimmed Mexican hat—and more like an archery target. Webb’s high-resolution mid-infrared view provides a fresh perspective on this iconic galaxy, revealing a smooth inner disk where the galaxy’s glowing core typically dominates in visible-light images.
The stunning detail in the image comes from Webb’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), which uncovers new insights into the galaxy’s outer ring. Where earlier observations from NASA’s retired Spitzer Space Telescope showed a smooth, uniform ring, Webb’s infrared view exposes intricate clumps of dust, shedding light on the distribution of dust—an essential building block for stars and other astronomical objects. This discovery is the first time such details have been observed in the Sombrero Galaxy’s outer regions.
The MIRI data also highlight the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), carbon-based molecules often associated with regions of star formation. However, unlike some galaxies Webb has studied—such as Messier 82, which is a prolific star factory—the Sombrero galaxy is not a hotbed of star formation. The galaxy’s outer rings produce less than one solar mass of stars annually, a stark contrast to the Milky Way, which forms stars at a rate of roughly two solar masses per year.
Despite its less active star-forming environment, the Sombrero Galaxy is home to a supermassive black hole at its center, which weighs in at a staggering 9 billion solar masses. This black hole is classified as a low-luminosity active galactic nucleus (AGN), meaning it is relatively quiet compared to more active supermassive black holes. It slowly consumes material from its surroundings, emitting a faint but distinct jet of energy.
The galaxy is also home to around 2,000 globular clusters—dense groups of hundreds of thousands of ancient stars. These clusters serve as valuable laboratories for astronomers, providing an opportunity to study stars of the same age but with varying masses and other properties.
The MIRI image of the Sombrero Galaxy is set against a backdrop of distant galaxies in various shapes and colors. The differing colors of these galaxies provide astronomers with key information about their distance, composition, and other characteristics.
Located about 30 million light-years away in the Virgo constellation, the Sombrero Galaxy is one of the most studied galaxies in the universe, offering scientists a window into the processes that shape galactic evolution.
A Glimpse into Webb’s Future.
This new image is just the beginning of a wealth of discoveries that Webb is expected to unveil. Scientists worldwide are eagerly awaiting the next phase of observations, with a record 2,377 proposals submitted for Webb’s fourth year of science operations, which begins in July 2025. These proposals cover a wide range of topics, with distant galaxies and exoplanets among the most requested areas for observation.
Webb’s observation time is highly competitive, with an oversubscription rate of about 9-to-1, meaning there is significantly more demand for telescope time than is available. The selected proposals will be reviewed by a committee of astronomers from around the world, and the final selections will be announced in March 2025.
Even though Webb’s time is limited, data from its missions is made publicly available as soon as it’s gathered, allowing astronomers and researchers from all over the world to analyze and build upon Webb’s groundbreaking findings.
As the most powerful space telescope ever built, the James Webb Space Telescope is set to revolutionize our understanding of the universe, from our own solar system to distant exoplanets and the farthest reaches of space. Webb is an international collaboration led by NASA, with key contributions from the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).