Swirling Spider Web Seen in Distant Galaxy

Using the NASA Spitzer Space Telescope, which surveys the sky in infrared wavelengths, a team of astronomers was recently able to capture an amazing image of the galaxy IC342. The cosmic formation displays an extremely-beautiful structure, which closely resembles that of a spider web.

The galaxy is located relatively close by, at a distance of only 10 million light-years, which basically puts it in our cosmic backyard. In optical wavelengths, only a faint light can be seen from this object, since it contains vast amounts of cosmic dust that blocks out its stars.

But infrared wavelengths can easily pierce through these defenses, highlighting the areas of intense stellar formation in the galactic disk. The center of the galaxy reveals the presence of a stellar nursery that is forming blue stars at an impressive rate.

For this photo, different wavelengths were color-coded, for easier viewing: 3.6 microns as blue, 4.5 microns as green and 5.8 and 8.0 microns as red.