Hubble Reveals a Dazzling New Look At The Iconic Sombrero Galaxy

To celebrate 35 years of discoveries, the Hubble Space Telescope has released a newly enhanced image of one of the sky’s most captivating galaxies: the Sombrero Galaxy.

A Hat in the Sky: The Sombrero Galaxy’s Unique Appearance

Also known as Messier 104, this celestial wonder lies about 31 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Virgo. What sets it apart is its unusual appearance — a glowing central bulge encircled by a dark, dusty ring that gives it the look of a wide-brimmed hat seen nearly edge-on from Earth.

Astronomers classify it as a peculiar galaxy, as it blends features of both spiral and elliptical galaxies. Its structure defies simple categorization, placing it somewhere between these two common types.

Its standout visual feature is the thick band of dust that encircles its edges, defining its shape and enhancing its resemblance to a sombrero. Originally captured by Hubble in 2003, that iconic image became one of the telescope’s most popular. Now, scientists have revisited the photo using advanced image-processing techniques, uncovering finer details within the galaxy and more faint stars in the background.

Despite its brilliance and star-filled core, the Sombrero Galaxy doesn’t form stars at a high rate — only about the equivalent of one new Sun per year. Slightly larger than our own Milky Way, its tilted orientation and bright nucleus make it a challenging object to study.

Insights from JWST: Dust and a Supermassive Black Hole

Newer observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) in mid-infrared light have revealed dense patches of dust circling its outer edges and confirmed the presence of a supermassive black hole at its center — weighing in at about 9 billion times the mass of our Sun.

The dust ring belongs to the galaxy’s spiral arms, while the glowing bulge at its heart more closely resembles what is typically seen in elliptical galaxies. This hybrid of features continues to intrigue scientists.

Thanks to its dramatic appearance and mystery, the Sombrero Galaxy remains a favorite among astronomers and space enthusiasts around the world — a true cosmic masterpiece.

Read the original article on: Science Alert

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