The Sombrero Galaxy

 
Messier Object 104, The Sombrero Galaxy
 

 

Image Information
Date Imaged 10/21/2006
Location Imaged From

Tierra del Sol , CA

Equipment Telescope: Orion 80ED
Mount: LX200
Camera: Canon Digital Rebel
Focal Ratio: f/7.5
Exposure Information 35 X 300 seconds @ ISO 800

The Sombrero Galaxy (also known as M104 or NGC 4594) is an unbarred spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo. It has a bright nucleus, an unusually large central bulge, and a prominent dust lane in its inclined disk. The dark dust lane and the bulge give this galaxy the appearance of a sombrero. The galaxy has an apparent magnitude of 9.0, making it a galaxy that can easily be seen with amateur telescopes. The large bulge, the central supermassive black hole, and the dust lane all attract the attention of professional astronomers.