Starburst Galaxy M82 (Webb Image)
stsci_2026-115b April 2nd, 2026
Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, A. Smercina (STScI). Image Processing: A. Pagan (STScI)
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope recently observed edge-on starburst galaxy Messier 82 (M82), nicknamed the Cigar Galaxy. Webb’s near-infrared-light view is a snapshot in time, revealing a scene that has been evolving over a couple hundred million years. In near-infrared light, astronomers can see the galaxy’s distended disk structure and millions of individual stars — approximately 16.5 million — for the first time.
Webb’s imaging survey of the galaxy is helping astronomers investigate the formation history of M82 and will also shed light on the current processes occurring within the starburst galaxy.
Provider: Space Telescope Science Institute
Image Source: /image/stsci/2026-115b
Curator: STScI, Baltimore, MD, USA
Image Use Policy: https://www.stsci.edu/copyright
View Options
Download Options
Image Details
Distance
Position Details
Color Mapping
- ID
- 2026-115b
- Subject Category
- C.5.3.3
- Subject Name
- M82, Cigar Galaxy
- Credits
- NASA, ESA, CSA, A. Smercina (STScI). Image Processing: A. Pagan (STScI)
- Release Date
- 2026-04-02T10:00:00
- Lightyears
- 12,000,000
- Redshift
- 12,000,000
- Reference Url
- /image/stsci/2026-115b
- Type
- Observation
- Image Quality
- Good
- Distance Notes
- Distance in lightyears
- Facility
- Webb, Webb, Webb, Webb
- Instrument
- NIRCam, NIRCam, NIRCam, NIRCam
- Color Assignment
- Blue, Cyan, Orange, Red
- Band
- Infrared, Infrared, Infrared, Infrared
- Bandpass
- Central Wavelength
- 1150, 2000, 3350, 4440
- Start Time
- Integration Time
- Dataset ID
- Notes
- Coordinate Frame
- ICRS
- Equinox
- 2000.0
- Reference Value
- 148.968458, 69.679703
- Reference Dimension
- Reference Pixel
- Scale
- Rotation
- Coordinate System Projection:
- Quality
- Position
- FITS Header
- Notes
- 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 Drive
- 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-p26115b-f-18187x12260.tif
- Resource URL
- https://mast.stsci.edu/api/latest/Download/file?uri=mast:OPO/product/STSCI_PR_2026-115/STSCI-J-p26115b-f-18187x12260.tif
- Related Resources
- Metadata Date
- 2026-07-10T10:02:11-04:00
- Metadata Version
- 1.2
Detailed color mapping information coming soon...
