Sextans A Unannotated (NIRCam and MIRI image)
stsci_2026-102e 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. 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
- 2026-102e
- 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-p26102e-f-4960x4216.tif
- Resource URL
- https://mast.stsci.edu/api/latest/Download/file?uri=mast:OPO/product/STSCI_PR_2026-102/STSCI-J-p26102e-f-4960x4216.tif
- Related Resources
- Metadata Date
- 2026-02-24T15:52:08-05:00
- Metadata Version
- 1.2
Detailed color mapping information coming soon...
