NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured the Black Eye Galaxy, also known as M64, with a level of detail not seen before, The Times of India reports. The observation highlights the galaxy's unusual structure, including streams of gas that rotate in directions opposing one another.
The Times of India describes the new view as unprecedented for this galaxy. The report centers on the opposing gas flows as the standout feature revealed in the imagery.
The same image was featured by NASA as its Astronomy Picture of the Day for September 16, 2026, under the title "Webb's View of M64." NASA published the item on its science site and on its main website, according to the listings.
The Black Eye Galaxy is known for a dark band of dust near its center, which gives it its name. Its counter-rotating gas — inner and outer regions turning in opposite directions — has long made it a subject of study, and the Webb image adds new resolution to that picture. The Times of India's report does not include further technical measurements from the observation.
Webb, a joint project involving NASA and international partners, observes in infrared light, which allows it to see through dust that blocks visible-light views.
What to watch next: whether NASA or researchers release accompanying scientific analysis tied to the M64 image, and how the new data are used to study the galaxy's opposing gas streams.