Iconic Sombrero Galaxy shines in reprocessed Hubble Telescope view (image)
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
NASA just unveiled a new image of the iconic Sombrero Galaxy, showcasing intricate details of its vivid structure that resembles the broad-brimmed Mexican hat.
Located approximately 30 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Virgo, the Sombrero Galaxy, also known as Messier 104, is viewed nearly edge-on by the Hubble Space Telescope. New image processing techniques revealed the galaxy's bright central bulge and the vast, dusty disk that encircles it in unprecedented detail.
These features give the appearance of a rounded crown and broad brim of a sombrero, for which the galaxy is named, according to a statement from NASA.
"One of the things that makes this galaxy especially notable is its viewing angle, which is inclined just six degrees off of the galaxy's equator," NASA officials said in the April 16 statement. "From this vantage point, intricate clumps and strands of dust stand out against the brilliant white galactic nucleus and bulge, creating an effect not unlike Saturn and its rings — but on an epic galactic scale."
Given the extreme angle at which it is viewed, astronomers are unsure if the Sombrero is a spiral galaxy or an elliptical galaxy. While it is packed with stars and hosts a supermassive black hole — which at nine billion solar masses is more than 2,000 times more massive than the Milky Way's central black hole — it is considered a calm galaxy.
— Hubble Space Telescope: Pictures, facts & history
— Spiral starburst galaxy glows in gorgeous Hubble Telescope image
— Hubble Telescope discovers a new '3-body problem' puzzle among Kuiper Belt asteroids (video)
Astronomers estimate that less than one solar mass of gas is converted into stars each year in the Sombrero, suggesting the galaxy is not actively feeding on interstellar material and therefore isn't undergoing intense star formation.
Using the new image, astronomers are able to study metal-rich stars in the galaxy's halo, which indicate it may have merged with a massive galaxy billions of years ago, creating the distinct Sombrero shape observed today.
Astronomers are applying new image-processing techniques to previously released Hubble observations like this Sombrero Galaxy image in honor of the space telescope's upcoming 35th anniversary.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Florida's Space Coast is clear choice for NASA HQ, Sen. Moody says in letter to Trump
The Brief Florida political leaders have sent a letter to President Donald Trump encouraging the relocation of NASA's headquarters from Washington, D.C. to Florida's Space Coast. NASA's lease is set to expire in 2028, and $500 million has been proposed for a new facility in the nation's capital. The Florida leaders argue relocating to the Sunshine State provides myriad benefits, including lower costs, less red tape, a world-class workforce, and private and public partners. CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Sen. Ashley Moody and every member of Florida's delegation have sent a letter to President Donald Trump encouraging his administration to consider relocating NASA's headquarters from Washington, D.C. to Florida's Space Coast. What we know Moody is sponsoring a new initiative called the "Consolidating Aerospace Programs Efficiently at Canaveral (CAPE Canaveral) Act"to try and relocate NASA's headquarters to Florida's Space Coast. In a recent letter, Moody and every member of Florida's delegation addressed the Trump administration, encouraging them to consider the relocation. They said the change is a "unique opportunity to reshape its (NASA's) future for the better." NASA's lease is set to expire in 2028, and $500 million has been proposed for a new facility in the nation's capital. The Florida political leaders say relocating to the Sunshine State provides myriad benefits, including lower costs, less red tape, a world-class workforce, and private and public partners. The political leaders said relocating to Florida would: Save taxpayer dollars: Florida's construction and utility costs are significantly lower than Washington's, eliminating the need for wasteful spending on a new D.C.-based HQ. Embed NASA within the space industry: SpaceX, Blue Origin, Boeing, Lockheed Martin and others already operate in Florida. NASA leadership must be where innovation happens. Enhance efficiency and streamline operations: A move to Florida will break NASA free from Washington's stagnation and refocus it on results-driven leadership. Leverage a world-class workforce: Florida boasts 140,000 aerospace workers and top-tier engineering programs that will fuel the next era of space exploration. Ensure global connectivity: Florida's major airports and seaports provide seamless access to Washington and beyond. Click to open this PDF in a new window. What they're saying The political leaders said relocating NASA's headquarters to Florida will cultivate a new age in American space achievement. "Washington's bureaucratic environment has hindered NASA's efficiency, while Florida is the undisputed leader in space operations," the letter says. "In 2024 alone, Florida hosted 93 launches—more than Communist China and Russia combined. Additionally, more-and-more splashdown operations are occurring at the Gulf of America, spurring more investments across Florida. With Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and a booming commercial space industry, Florida is the clear choice for NASA's new HQ." The political leaders also argued that America's leadership in space is not guaranteed. "China's space industry, technology and ambition is advancing rapidly, and we cannot afford complacency," they said. "Moving NASA headquarters to Florida will reduce costs, drive innovation and solidify America's dominance in space. We urge your administration to make this move a priority." By the numbers The Space Force has projected a total of 107 launches from Florida for the entirety of 2025. As of June 13, there have already been 50 orbital rocket launches from Florida's Space Coast this year. This pace is faster than the record set in 2024, when the 50th launch didn't occur until July 8. The Space Coast set a new record in 2024 with 93 launches from all providers. With SpaceX's continued pace, more launches from United Launch Alliance and the debut of Blue Origin's New Glenn, the Space Force believes it could support as many as 156 launches in 2025. Local perspective The Space Coast is a region in Florida around the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Florida's Space Coast, particularly Cape Canaveral, is an ideal location for rocket launches due to its eastward location, proximity to the equator and minimal risk to populated areas. The Florida Space Coast has a population of just over 568,000 people. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines FOX Local:Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV The Source This story was written based on information gathered from previous reporting and information shared by Sen. Ashley Moody in a press release on June 11, 2025.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Scientists discover strong, unexpected link between Earth's magnetic field and oxygen levels
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Earth's magnetic field and oxygen levels are inextricably linked, new research suggests. The strength of the geomagnetic field has gone up in lockstep with the percentage of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere over the past 540 million years, a new study finds — but it remains unclear if one of these influences the other, or whether other unknown factors explain the link. "This is the first discovery we've ever had to establish the link between the geomagnetic field and the oxygen level," lead author Weijia Kuang, a senior scientist in the Geodesy and Geophysics Laboratory at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, told Live Science. Earth's magnetic field and oxygen levels have increased more or less in parallel since the start of the Cambrian period (541 million to 485.4 million years ago), and both factors spiked between 330 million and 220 million years ago, the results indicate. The research could help to narrow down requirements for life on other planets, Kuang and study co-author Ravi Kopparapu, a planetary scientist at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, said in a joint video interview. It may be that the geomagnetic field controls oxygen levels, or vice versa — but there is another possible scenario, which is that both factors are related to a third geochemical or geophysical process that the researchers haven't yet pinpointed, Kuang said. For the new study, scientists used two independent datasets spanning the past 540 million years. One of the datasets showed atmospheric oxygen, derived from multiple indicators such as the abundance in sediments of fossilized charcoal, which remains after wildfires and gives clues about how much oxygen was available at a given time. The other dataset showed the strength of the geomagnetic field, derived from magnetic information that is recorded in ancient rocks and sediments. The researchers plotted these datasets against each other and found there was a strong correlation between them. If the geomagnetic field controls oxygen levels, its influence would likely be due to the protection it offers Earth's atmosphere against space weather. Previous research indicates that the geomagnetic field can prevent or reduce the escape or erosion of atmospheric molecules. The magnetic field also shields life on the planet, including plants that produce oxygen, from X-ray and extreme ultraviolet radiation. If, in contrast, atmospheric oxygen levels dictate the strength of Earth's magnetic field, then plate tectonics would play a central role. Plate tectonics is the process that continuously recycles Earth's crust into the mantle, which is the planetary layer that covers Earth's liquid outer core. Earth's geomagnetic field originates from currents in the outer core, so it's possible that the recycling of crustal material and oxygen into the mantle could impact the lower mantle, which could then affect the geomagnetic field, Kuang said. Related: Did plate tectonics give rise to life? Groundbreaking new research could crack Earth's deepest mystery. "Plate tectonics [...] will definitely impact the thermal and the dynamical conditions at the base of the mantle where it borders the liquid outer core," he said. "On the other hand, plate tectonics also impacts the cycling of chemicals and other elements from the interior to the surface, which certainly will impact oxygenation, or the production of oxygen." It's more likely that the geomagnetic field affects oxygen levels, rather than the other way round, Kuang said. That's because scientists know the geomagnetic field originates deep inside the planet and propagates to Earth's surface and into space. "The other direction is less well understood," he said. The third possible scenario is that another, separate process is pushing the geomagnetic field and oxygen levels in the same direction over time. The study's authors don't know what that process might be yet, but a spike that exists in both datasets may hold the answer. The spike coincides with the existence of the ancient supercontinent Pangaea, which formed about 320 million years ago and broke up about 195 million years ago. Due to the massive tectonic rearrangements involved, supercontinents might be the missing link between Earth's magnetic field and oxygen levels — but the evidence for this is still very tentative at this point, Kuang and Kopparapu cautioned. "This is one of the conjectures we didn't really put out strongly in our paper, but it is something we think is a very enticing mechanism for us to pursue," Kuang said. The reason the researchers held back with this idea is that they have robust data for only one supercontinent — Pangaea — and not the ones that came before, he said. RELATED STORIES —Earth's magnetic field formed before the planet's core, study suggests —Listen to haunting sounds of Earth's magnetic field flipping 41,000 years ago in eerie new animation —'A force more powerful than gravity within the Earth': How magnetism locked itself inside our planet "There seems to be some eye-sight correlation between oxygen and magnetic field and all the other supercontinents," Kopparapu said. "However, we don't have reliable data for oxygen [going farther back] than 540 million years, and so we are unable to make that kind of a conclusion for [farther back in time] and past supercontinents." The researchers are already working on the next step, which is to search for other geophysical and geochemical factors that might link to the geomagnetic field and oxygen levels. For this, the authors say communication and collaboration between scientists is of paramount importance. "One single mind cannot comprehend the whole system of the Earth," Kopparapu said. "We're like kids playing with Legos, with each of us having a separate Lego piece. We're trying to fit all of it together and see what's the big picture."
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Cillian Murphy Is Amazing In 28 Days Later, But I Was Shook By The A-Listers Who Originally Vied For The Role
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. I'm still amazed that director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland have reassembled to deliver a new tale of terror to the 2025 movie schedule in 28 Years Later. The occasion has left me also thinking about 28 Days Later a lot, a film that would eventually become known as Academy Award winner Cillian Murphy's star-making performance. But while the Oppenheimer lead has always been pitch perfect in the role of Jim, there's a long existing list of names that have been rumored to be up for the part back in the day. And when I say names, I truly mean 'names,' like Leonardo DiCaprio, Ryan Gosling and frequent Boyle collaborator Ewan McGregor. When the opportunity to watch the first 28 minutes of 28 Years Later was paired with an in-person interview with its intrepid director, I had to try and weed out fact from fiction, which saw all three names debunked in the process. However, that's when Danny Boyle gave CinemaBlend two names I never expected to be in the mix: I'll tell you who did audition for Jim. … Tom Hardy and Orlando Bloom, because they'd all finished either drama school or Black Hawk Down. … We didn't have very much money, we thought 'We'll never be able to afford a bigger actor.' And we wanted newbies who just didn't know which way it would break with them. So the trio of Leonardo DiCaprio, Ryan Gosling and Ewan McGregor were never going to even make the list for 28 Days Later's casting. With that being said, I'm very surprised that Tom Hardy and Orlando Bloom hadn't been reported more often - especially at that point in their careers. Although coincidentally enough, McGregor was in Black Hawk Down himself, as well as entrenched in the Star Wars prequel trilogy at the time. Likewise, by the time Danny Boyle's film was making the rounds in its initial 2002 release in the UK, Hardy and Bloom were going head to head at the box office thanks to their respective roles in Star Trek: Nemesis and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Honestly, either man would have been a distraction to the tense, harrowing journey 28 Days Later took, as audiences would know they'd survive the ride. The whole point of the third act is that by time Jim's on his rampage through Major West's estate, you're supposed to wonder if he's an Infected at that point. While we now know that wasn't the case, and with Cillian Murphy set to return for 28 Years Later's sequel The Bone Temple, that point tends to get a bit lost. However, Danny Boyle's perspective seemed to see him pick between two finalists, with the Christopher Nolan vet winning out in the end. At least, that's what it sounded like when the 28 Years Later mastermind shared this with CinemaBlend: And I remember seeing [them], and we saw Cillian, and I remember thinking, 'Whoa, he'll have an amazing career.' I remember thinking that. I was right. I remember thinking that about Orlando Bloom, I thought 'He'll do all right. ' The rest, as they say, is history. 2003's US release lit a fuse that saw both Cillian Murphy and Naomie Harris both launch into higher profile roles, and Danny Boyle and Alex Garland being heralded as the men who reanimated the zombie (and zombie-adjacent) subgenre. Seeing as Stephen King bought out showings of 28 Days Later just so he could give them out to spread the word, that was clearly the right choice. And as Danny Boyle himself suggested, Orlando Bloom and Tom Hardy did 'do alright' in the end. Let's hope that 28 Years Later renews its franchise's King Seal of Approval, when it opens in theaters on June 20th.
