Mexican hat in space: Hubble captures stunning picture of Sombrero galaxy
The Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled a stunning new image of the iconic Sombrero Galaxy a.k.a Messier 104 as part of its 35th anniversary celebrations.Located about 30 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo, the Sombrero Galaxy is instantly recognizable for its bright central bulge and sharply defined dusty disc, which together resemble the rounded crown and broad brim of a Mexican sombrero hat.advertisementThis latest image employs advanced processing techniques that reveal finer details in the galaxy's disc, as well as additional background stars and distant galaxies, offering a richer and more intricate view than previous releases.
This unique vantage point has made the Sombrero a favourite target for both professional and amateur astronomers. (Photo: Nasa)
The image is actually a mosaic stitched from multiple Hubble observations, since the galaxy's size exceeds Hubble's narrow field of view.Viewed nearly edge-on—tilted just six degrees from its equator—the Sombrero Galaxy displays complex clumps and strands of dust set against its brilliant white nucleus, creating a visual effect reminiscent of Saturn and its rings but on a galactic scale.advertisementThis unique vantage point has made the Sombrero a favorite target for both professional and amateur astronomers.Despite its dense population of stars and a supermassive black hole weighing about nine billion solar masses—more than 2,000 times the mass of the Milky Way's central black hole—the galaxy is surprisingly quiet, converting less than one solar mass of gas into new stars each year.
This latest image employs advanced processing techniques. (Photo: Nasa)
This subdued star formation adds to the galaxy's enigmatic nature, as it exhibits features of both spiral and elliptical galaxies.The Sombrero Galaxy has been extensively studied over the past two decades, including by the James Webb Space Telescope in late 2024, which provided complementary infrared observations.This new Hubble image not only celebrates decades of space exploration but also deepens scientists' understanding of this majestic and mysterious galactic neighbour.Trending Reel
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