Dwarf Galaxy WLM (NIRCam Image)

 Dwarf Galaxy WLM (NIRCam Image)

A portion of the dwarf galaxy Wolf–Lundmark–Melotte (WLM) captured by the James Webb Space Telescope’s Near-Infrared Camera. The image demonstrates Webb’s remarkable ability to resolve faint stars outside the Milky Way. Color translation: 0.9-micron light is shown in blue, 1.5-micron in cyan, 2.5-micron in yellow, and 4.3-micron in red (filters F090W, F150W, F250M, and F430M). 

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Credits

Science

NASA, ESA, CSA, Kristen McQuinn (RU)

Image Processing

Zolt G. Levay (STScI)

About The Object
Object Name Wolf–Lundmark–Melotte (WLM)
Object Description Barred, irregular, dwarf galaxy
R.A. Position 00:01:57.429
Dec. Position  -15:28:52.49
Constellation Cetus
Distance About 3 million light-years away
Dimensions The image is about 2 arcminutes across (1,700 light-years)
About The Data
Data Description This image was created from JWST data from proposal: (D. Weisz)
Instrument NIRCam
Exposure Dates 23-24 July 2022
Filters F090W, F150W, F250M, F430M
About The Image
Color Info These images are a composite of separate exposures acquired by the James Webb Space Telescope using the NIRCam instrument. Several filters were used to sample different infrared wavelength ranges. The color results from assigning different hues (colors) to each monochromatic (grayscale) image associated with an individual filter. In this case, the assigned colors are:    Blue: F090W, Cyan: F150W, Yellow: F250M, Red: F430M
About The Object
Object Name A name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.
Object Description The type of astronomical object.
R.A. Position Right ascension – analogous to longitude – is one component of an object's position.
Dec. Position Declination – analogous to latitude – is one component of an object's position.
Constellation One of 88 recognized regions of the celestial sphere in which the object appears.
Distance The physical distance from Earth to the astronomical object. Distances within our solar system are usually measured in Astronomical Units (AU). Distances between stars are usually measured in light-years. Interstellar distances can also be measured in parsecs.
Dimensions The physical size of the object or the apparent angle it subtends on the sky.
About The Data
Data Description
  • Proposal: A description of the observations, their scientific justification, and the links to the data available in the science archive.
  • Science Team: The astronomers who planned the observations and analyzed the data. "PI" refers to the Principal Investigator.
Instrument The science instrument used to produce the data.
Exposure Dates The date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time.
Filters The camera filters that were used in the science observations.
About The Image
Image Credit The primary individuals and institutions responsible for the content.
Publication Date The date and time the release content became public.
Color Info A brief description of the methods used to convert telescope data into the color image being presented.
Orientation The rotation of the image on the sky with respect to the north pole of the celestial sphere.