I Zwicky 18 is a small and irregular dwarf galaxy 59 million light years away, smaller than our own galaxy. At the centre of this galaxy are two bursts of star formation, surrounded by gas bubbles formed by winds and heat from young stars.

I Zwicky 18 has one of the lowest contents of elements heavier than helium among all known galaxies. This feature suggests that the galaxy is similar to the first star-forming galaxies in the early universe.

Using Webb's unique resolution and sensitivity, researchers are studying the dusty stars of this nearby galaxy in detail and hope to shed light on the evolution of star formation and dust in the early universe.

In the lower right corner of the image, a blue companion galaxy is visible, which may be interacting with the dwarf galaxy and may have triggered star formation. The orange spots surrounding the galaxy are dim glows from very distant fully formed galaxies.