James Webb Spots Strange Structure at Core of Distant Galaxy

NASA and ESA released a Webb mid-infrared image of Messier 77, also known as the Squid Galaxy, revealing a bright, dust-hidden core.

The image shows a luminous active galactic nucleus around a supermassive black hole, plus a previously hidden central bar and surrounding starburst ring.

Webb’s MIRI instrument also captures dust structures and diffraction spikes, offering a clearer look at how gas and stars are organized in the galaxy.

Scientists still do not fully understand Messier 77’s gamma-ray and neutrino emission, leaving key mysteries about its energetic core.