Dwarf Galaxy WLM

This image shows a portion of the dwarf galaxy Wolf–Lundmark–Melotte (WLM) captured by the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope’s Near-Infrared Camera. The image demonstrates Webb’s remarkable ability to resolve faint stars outside the Milky Way. 

This observation was taken as part of Webb’s Early Release Science (ERS) program 1334, focused on resolved stellar populations. The dwarf galaxy WLM was selected for this program as its gas is similar to that which made up galaxies in the early Universe and it is relatively nearby, meaning that Webb can differentiate between its individual stars. Learn more about Webb’s research of the dwarf galaxy WLM here.

The galaxy lies roughly 3 million light-years away.

This image includes 0.9-micron light shown in blue, 1.5-micron in cyan, 2.5-micron in yellow, and 4.3-micron in red (filters F090W, F150W, F250M, and F430M). 

Note: This image highlights Webb’s science in progress, which has not yet been through the peer-review process.

[Image Description: This image shows a wide field view of countless stars and dozens of galaxies in clear detail.]