According to NASA, the James Webb Space Telescope has revealed new details about Messier eighty-two, known as the Cigar Galaxy, located twelve million light-years away. This edge-on spiral galaxy is undergoing a burst of star formation thought to be triggered by a past galaxy collision. Webb's observations have pinpointed millions of individual stars within the galaxy, offering unprecedented insight into this cosmic event. Astronomers believe this intense star formation is temporary on galactic timescales, making this snapshot particularly valuable for understanding how galaxies evolve.

Listen to this story

Hear this and more stories in a personalized audio briefing.

Open The Chonkerton