The European Space Agency (ESA) is celebrating its 35th anniversary by releasing a new image series of stunning galaxies, including the iconic Sombrero Galaxy. The first installment in the series features a revised image of NGC 346, while a new image of the Sombrero Galaxy reveals finer detail and more background stars.
Located 30 million light-years away in the Virgo constellation, the Sombrero Galaxy is instantly recognizable due to its distinctive shape resembling a Mexican hat. However, despite being packed with stars, the galaxy surprisingly lacks intense star formation, with less than one solar mass of gas converted into stars each year.
The galaxy’s central supermassive black hole, weighing nine billion solar masses, is also relatively calm compared to other galaxies. The unique viewing angle of the Sombrero Galaxy makes intricate dust clumps and strands stand out against the bright galactic nucleus, creating a striking effect reminiscent of Saturn’s rings.
Researchers used Hubble to study the galaxy’s structure, measuring the metals in stars within its expansive halo. These measurements suggest a possible merger with a massive galaxy several billion years ago, potentially explaining the Sombrero Galaxy’s distinctive appearance.
The Hubble Space Telescope has been operating for over three decades, providing groundbreaking discoveries that continue to shape our understanding of the universe. This latest image series marks an exciting milestone in the telescope’s history and serves as a testament to international cooperation between NASA and ESA.
Source: https://science.nasa.gov/missions/hubble/hubble-provides-new-view-of-galactic-favorite