Galactic starlight will take your breath away | Space photo of the day for May 19, 2026

When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.

Is this a galaxy or a movie poster for a sci-fi smash hit?

A new image captured by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope shows the galaxy Messier 77 (M77) in stunning new detail with beams of glowing light shining outward. And the secret behind its incredible glow? A black hole.

What is it?

The galaxy M77, nicknamed the Squid Galaxy, takes center stage in this striking new image snapped by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. The galaxy's heart shines brightly in the image, with gleaming rays of light radiating from its center while gas and dust swirls around.

M77 is a barred spiral galaxy located about 47 million light-years from Earth and can be found in the night sky in the constellation Cetus. The galaxy is visible to skywatchers, with a magnitude of 9.6, you can typically spot it with the help of a small telescope.

Interestingly, while this object is a Messier galaxy, meaning it was catalogued by astronomer Charles Messier, it was actually discovered by another French astronomer named Pierre Méchain who told Messier of his discovery.

Why is it incredible?

The secret behind this ethereal glow is actually a black hole. Scientists think that at the heart of most galaxies lies a black hole, and in M77, its central black hole's intense gravity is pulling gas inward. This movement causes the gas to heat up, releasing radiation and glowing tremendously as we can see in this snapshot, according to a statement from NASA.

In addition to the glow, the image stands out because of the incredible rays of light shining from its center. But these lines of light aren't caused by the gravitational pull of a black hole, instead they are actually an optical effect caused by the telescope, according to the statement.

Whatever the reason behind its appearance, one thing is certain: this galaxy is truly breathtaking in this new image.