NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has provided stunning new insights into the mysterious Sombrero Galaxy, located 30 million light-years from Earth. The telescope’s near-infrared wavelengths have revealed a clearer view of the galaxy’s central bulge and dust lane, allowing scientists to study its interactions with gas, stars, and dust in greater detail.
The Sombrero Galaxy’s appearance belies a turbulent past, with signs of a violent merger with other galaxies detected through the presence of globular clusters. These dense collections of stars formed from previous galactic collisions show variations in chemical composition, hinting at the galaxy’s complex history.
Webb’s NIRCam has also revealed individual stars outside the galaxy, including red giants that are visible in the near-infrared spectrum. By analyzing these distant galaxies, astronomers can gather information about their distance and characteristics. The telescope’s ability to resolve these objects provides valuable insights into the vast universe around us.
The Sombrero Galaxy’s inner disk appears slightly tilted inward from Webb’s unique perspective, suggesting gravitational disruption. This warped disk supports the merger hypothesis, which suggests that the galaxy has undergone a violent collision over billions of years.
Source: https://dailygalaxy.com/2025/06/nasas-webb-telescope-sombrero-galaxy