Beacon of Light from M77 Galaxy © ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, A. Leroy
The center of galaxy M77 glows brightly in this image taken on May 7, 2026, by the NASA James Webb Space Telescope.
M77 is a barred spiral galaxy located about 45 million light-years away in the constellation Cetus. Astronomers find it especially interesting because it is relatively close to Earth and filled with striking features to study.
The bright glow at its center comes from gas being pulled toward a supermassive black hole. As the gas spins quickly around the black hole, it heats up and releases huge amounts of energy and radiation.
The bright streaks extending from the center are called diffraction spikes. They are not actually part of the galaxy, but an optical effect created by the telescope.
Why it matters:
M77 helps scientists better understand how supermassive black holes affect galaxies. By studying the hot gas and intense energy near the galaxy’s center, astronomers can learn more about how galaxies grow and evolve.
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