Uncovering the powerhouse of a galaxy 🌌 Say hello to Messier 82, also known as the Cigar Galaxy. It’s a small but mighty neighbour in the constellation Ursa Major, located just 12 million light-years away. Although it’s smaller than the Milky Way, M82 shines five times brighter and forms stars ten times faster. It’s a classic example of a starburst galaxy, where stars form at a dramatically accelerated pace — especially in the central region. These two new images from esawebb offer a stunning glimpse into the heart of this galactic activity: - Near-infrared view: This panoramic image pierces through thick clouds of dust to reveal glowing gas, newborn stars and plumes of organic molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. These plumes appear to be carried away by powerful winds from young star clusters. - Mid-infrared view: In this image, the focus shifts to warm dust and soot-like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons molecules. Webb reveals the rich structure of the galaxy’s...