The James Webb Space Telescope has provided an in-depth look at edge-on spiral galaxy Messier 82 (M82), a prototypical starburst galaxy that is forming stars 10 times faster than our own Milky Way galaxy. This dynamic environment has previously garnered observations by many observatories, including the Hubble and retired Spitzer space telescopes.

First imaged by Webb in 2024, a team of astronomers has recently revisited the scene with the telescope as part of an imaging survey, seeking to untangle the complex evolutionary history of this one-of-a-kind galaxy. Their observations reveal millions of stars and powerful outflows of gas and dust.