Galaxy NGC 6822 (NIRCam & MIRI combined) - Section

Situated approximately 1.5 million light-years away, NGC 6822 is the Milky Way’s closest galactic neighbor that is not one of its satellites. Observations from Webb's Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) each probe different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, and their data was combined to create this colorful and highly detailed image. The MIRI instrument is exceptionally sensitive in observing the gas-rich regions permeating this galaxy, while the NIRCam is suited to capture the densely packed field of stars. Given the abundance of stars, supernova explosions occur regularly, and a remarkable illustration of a supernova remnant is evident here—the red ring in the lower portion of the image. An alternate, full-width, version is also available.