The Sombrero Galaxy

A galaxy with incredibly thin disks.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007 12:03

28 million light-years away is M104 or NGC 4594, a galaxy in the shape of a thin disk with an unusually large central halo of stars. The thick dust lanes around the galaxy are the reason why it has been nicknamed The Sombrero Galaxy.

This galaxy is so large that it's easily seen with a small telescope. It's oriented nearly edge-on towards Earth, which is six degrees north of its equatorial plane.

The above image is by Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys and is in natural colour.

:: HubbleSite
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News from Space is a short factual tidbit dealing with the latest information from space and Earth-based telescopes and satellites, as well as the occasional happening at NASA, the CSA, or some of the world's other space agencies. Check out cool images from the Hubble, the Spitzer, the Chandra, or from the many great observatories around the planet. 
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