Sextans A PAHs Pull-out (NIRCam and MIRI image)
stsci_2026-102a January 6th, 2026
Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, E. Tarantino Image Processing: A. Pagan (STScI).
Images from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope of the dwarf galaxy Sextans A reveal polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), large carbon-based molecules that can be a signifier of star formation. The inset at the top right zooms in on those PAHs, which are represented in green. In Sextans A, the PAHs are clumpy and relatively small.
Sextans A is a nearby galaxy that is chemically primitive, meaning it has a very low content of metals heavier than helium and hydrogen. It resembles galaxies that filled the early universe, before stars had a chance to enrich the space with ‘metals’ like oxygen and iron. With the new discovery from Webb, Sextans A is now the lowest-metallicity galaxy ever found to contain PAHs.
Provider: Space Telescope Science Institute
Image Source: https://science.nasa.gov/missions/webb/nasa-webb-finds-early-universe-analogs-unexpected-talent-for-making-dust/
Curator: STScI, Baltimore, MD, USA
Image Use Policy: https://www.stsci.edu/copyright
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Image Details
Distance
Position Details
Color Mapping
- ID
- 2026-102a
- Subject Category
- C.5.2.2 C.5.1.6
- Subject Name
- Sextans A, UGCA 205
- Credits
- NASA, ESA, CSA, E. Tarantino Image Processing: A. Pagan (STScI).
- Release Date
- 2026-01-06T12:15:00
- Lightyears
- 4,400,000
- Redshift
- 4,400,000
- Reference Url
- https://science.nasa.gov/missions/webb/nasa-webb-finds-early-universe-analogs-unexpected-talent-for-making-dust/
- Type
- Observation
- Image Quality
- Good
- Distance Notes
- Distance given in light-years
- Facility
- Webb, Webb, Webb, Webb, Webb, Webb, Webb, Webb
- Instrument
- NIRCam, NIRCam, NIRCam, NIRCam, MIRI, MIRI, MIRI, MIRI
- Color Assignment
- Blue, Cyan, Cyan, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, Red
- Band
- Infrared, Infrared, Infrared, Infrared, Infrared, Infrared, Infrared, Infrared, Infrared
- Bandpass
- Central Wavelength
- 1150, 1500, 2000, 3350, 5600, 7700, 10000, 11300
- Start Time
- Integration Time
- Dataset ID
- Notes
- Coordinate Frame
- ICRS
- Equinox
- 2000.0
- Reference Value
- 152.77566210584, -4.70613021488
- Reference Dimension
- 4960.00, 4216.00
- Reference Pixel
- 2616.78045681959, 1916.12241208297
- Scale
- -0.00000583191, 0.00000583191
- Rotation
- -36.56592509033
- Coordinate System Projection:
- TAN
- Quality
- Full
- FITS Header
- Notes
- World Coordinate System resolved using PinpointWCS 0.9.2 revision 218+ by the Chandra X-ray Center FITS X FITS Y EPO X EPO Y 2251.93 1789.31 2446.19 3252.58 1233.25 1828.26 2545.59 1215.61 2523.83 592.25 4783.01 4001.47 775.25 2660.18 968.33 158.97 Center Pixel Coordinates: 2480.00 152.77697799985 2108.00 -4.70570201300
- Creator (Curator)
- STScI
- URL
- https://www.stsci.edu/
- Name
- Space Telescope Science Institute Office of Public Outreach
- outreach@stsci.edu
- Telephone
- 410-338-4444
- Address
- 3700 San Martin Dr
- City
- Baltimore
- State/Province
- MD
- Postal Code
- 21218
- Country
- USA
- Rights
- https://www.stsci.edu/copyright
- Publisher
- stsci
- Publisher ID
- stsci
- Resource ID
- STSCI-J-p26102a-f-4960x4216.tif
- Resource URL
- https://mast.stsci.edu/api/latest/Download/file?uri=mast:OPO/product/STSCI_PR_2026-102/STSCI-J-p26102a-f-4960x4216.tif
- Related Resources
- Metadata Date
- 2026-02-24T15:59:09-05:00
- Metadata Version
- 1.2
Detailed color mapping information coming soon...
