The spiral galaxy NGC 628 can be found 32 million light-years away in the constellation Pisces. The image captured by Webb features a densely populated face-on spiral galaxy, with a central region that displays a light blue haze covering about a quarter of the view. The circular core contains the brightest blue area and is also home to populations of older stars, indicated by numerous pinpoints of blue light. The spiny spiral arms, comprised of stars, gas, and dust, originate from the center, primarily within the wider area of the blue haze, and extend outwards, rotating counterclockwise. This spiraling filamentary structure resembles a cross section of a nautilus shell. The predominantly orange arms of the galaxy range from dark to bright orange. Scattered throughout the galaxy are additional bright blue pinpoints of light, representing stars. In areas with less orange, the galaxy appears darker, and some dark regions have a more circular appearance. A significant dark “bubble” can be observed to the top left of the blue core, along with a broader, elliptical “bubble” to the bottom right. This stunning image was captured by NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Janice Lee (STScI), Thomas Williams (Oxford), and the PHANGS team.
