Hubble and Webb's Perspectives on NGC 3256

"In the featured video, the spotlight is on the distinctive galaxy NGC 3256, which takes center stage in two remarkable images. This peculiar galaxy is the aftermath of a direct collision between two spiral galaxies that likely occurred half a billion years ago. It is adorned with clusters of young stars that formed as a result of the collision when the gas and dust from the two galaxies merged.The first image draws upon data captured by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope's Advanced Camera for Surveys and Wide Field Camera 3. In this view, visible light unveils the intricate patterns of dark dust and molecular gas that encircle the nuclei of the two amalgamated galaxies. Many of the youthful stars, emitting infrared radiation, remain concealed in the visible spectrum due to the presence of this shadowy dust.

The second image compiles data from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, utilizing both the Near-InfraRed Camera and the Mid-InfraRed Instrument. The collision that gave rise to NGC 3256 ignited a colossal surge in star formation, and these newly formed stars emit an intense glow in the infrared wavelengths, as depicted in this portrayal."