Celestial hemisphere:  Southern  ·  Constellation: Virgo (Vir)  ·  Contains:  M 104  ·  NGC 4594  ·  Sombrero Galaxy
M104 Sombrero Galaxy, Dale A Chamberlain
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M104 Sombrero Galaxy, Dale A Chamberlain
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Description

The Sombrero Galaxy (Messier Object 104, M104, or NGC 4594) is a lenticular galaxy in the constellation Virgo. It is 31.1 million light-years from Earth. The galaxy has a diameter of approximately 49,000 light-years, 30% the size of the Milky Way. It has a bright nucleus, a huge central bulge, and a prominent dust lane in its inclined disk. The dark dust lane and the bulge make this galaxy appear like a sombrero hat. Astronomers initially thought the halo was small and light, indicative of a spiral galaxy. Still, the Spitzer Space Telescope found that the dust ring around the Sombrero Galaxy is larger and more massive than previously thought, indicative of a giant elliptical galaxy. The galaxy has an apparent magnitude of +8.0, making it easily visible with amateur telescopes. Its prominent bulge, central supermassive black hole, and dust lane all attract the attention of professional astronomers.

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