The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is designed to observe the universe in the infrared spectrum, which allows it to see objects that are too cool or too far away to be detected by telescopes that only observe visible light. This allows the JWST to study a wide range of objects, including exoplanets, galaxies, and nebulae that are beyond the reach of other telescopes.
Galaxies are some of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring objects in the universe. They are vast collections of stars, gas, dust, and other matter that are held together by their own gravitational forces. Galaxies come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and types, and each one has its own unique characteristics and beauty.
Many people find the beauty of galaxies to be captivating and inspiring. The vastness of galaxies and the sheer number of stars they contain can be breathtaking, and the swirling patterns of gas and dust that can be seen in some galaxies can be mesmerizing.
That’s also the case for NGC 7469.
NGC 7469 enters the cosmic stage
NGC 7469 is the name for a spiral galaxy from the constellation Pegasus, and planning any trip there is out of the question unless you somehow uncovered the secret for teleportation. The galaxy is located about 220 million light-years away from Earth.
The galaxy in question has been discovered by astronomers for quite a while. It was discovered in 1790 by the German-British astronomer William Herschel, who cataloged it as one of his “Herschel 400” objects.
Thanks to James Webb’s advanced capabilities, admiring the NGC 7469 galaxy in more detail and in its unfathomable beauty is possible:
Webb’s holiday card sorted! 🎄
NGC 7469 is like a cosmic wreath bursting with new stars. This galaxy is very dusty, but Webb’s infrared vision can peer through to observe features like the intense ring of star formation close around its bright center. https://t.co/Q1BL2yICTz pic.twitter.com/6IokAxUdZM
— NASA Webb Telescope (@NASAWebb) December 21, 2022
We’re talking about a relatively large galaxy with a diameter of about 80,000 light-years. NGC 7469 is also classified as a barred spiral galaxy, meaning that it has a central bar-shaped structure that is surrounded by a disk of gas, dust, and stars. The galaxy is thought to contain about 200 billion stars, which is about twice the number of stars in the Milky Way.
Still a small galaxy compared to the biggest one
Despite its size and undeniable beauty, the NGC 7469 galaxy is still pretty small by comparison with the biggest one ever discovered. The record belongs to IC 1101, the largest universe ever found. That galaxy is located about 1.07 billion light-years from Earth in the constellation Serpens. IC 1101 is an extremely massive galaxy, with a diameter of about 6.5 million light-years, making it about 50 times the size of the Milky Way galaxy.
Ah, Serpens, the constellation of the snake. You know, because one snake in the sky just wasn’t enough, so we had to have two. That’s right, Serpens is actually divided into two parts – Serpens Caput (the head) and Serpens Cauda (the tail). So if you’re trying to spot a snake in the sky, make sure you check both parts. It’s kind of like playing a game of Where’s Waldo, but with a giant celestial snake.
Pegasus, the flying horse of Greek mythology
Pegasus, the constellation where the majestic NGC 7469 galaxy is located, got its name from Greek mythology. You know, because apparently, regular horses just weren’t impressive enough, so we had to go and invent a whole new breed that could fly. But hey, at least it gives us something cool to look at in the sky. Just imagine, a giant horse soaring through the cosmos, flapping its giant wings and leaving a trail of stardust behind it.
NGC 7469 has undergone several episodes of star formation over its lifetime and is known to have a high rate of star formation activity. It has also been the subject of numerous studies on the relationship between star formation and black hole activity in galaxies.
