The image was shared on NASA’s ‘nasahubble’ Instagram page. In the caption, NASA explains JW209’s spiral structure.
The galaxy’s “tentacles” are long tendrils of star formation that trail behind the galaxy’s disk, resembling the aquatic animal.
These tendrils are formed by the interaction between the galaxy and the intra-cluster medium, which is a superheated plasma that pervades galaxy clusters. As a galaxy moves through a cluster, they ram into that intra-cluster medium, which strips gas away from the galaxy and draws it out into long trails of star formation.
The galaxy has a vibrant inner disk adorned with bluish and reddish spots of star formation scattered throughout its arms. Surrounding the galaxy is an outer disk of pale, dim dust that adds to its beauty. But, what truly captivates the viewer is the sight of several arms being pulled away from the disk, stretching into long, faint trails that cross the image. The scene is further accentuated by three bright stars against the dark backdrop.
Hubble Space Telescope’s observations show no major differences in star formation between the galaxy’s disk and its tentacles.
User reaction
NASA’s image received an overwhelming reaction from Instagram users, with the comments section overflowing with feelings of wonderment and astonishment.
Words like “Stunning shot” and “wow” filled the comments, accompanied by heart and heart-eye emojis, conveying admiration for the spectacular view from space.
Earlier, the Hubble telescope had observed another jellyfish galaxy named JW39, which is located some 900 million light years away in the Coma Berenices constellation. This galaxy, like others in galaxy clusters, faces a challenging environment with gravitational distortions and the presence of a hot plasma called the intra-cluster medium. These factors result in trailing tendrils of star formation.
NASA and ESA (European Space Agency) have been operating the Hubble telescope to study several jellyfish galaxies over the past two years.
Hubble Space Telescope
The Hubble Space Telescope was launched in April 1990 following several decades of research. The telescope has dished out innumerable scientific observations that have revolutionized humanity’s understanding of the universe.
From determining the age of the universe to observing various changes in the celestial bodies, the telescope has proved to be one of the greatest scientific equipment working in space.