The European Space Agency (ESA) has released a stunning new image of the Sombrero Galaxy, also known as Messier 104. This enigmatic galaxy features both spiral and elliptical characteristics, making it an eye-catching target for astronomers.
The ESA/Hubble team used advanced processing techniques to highlight the unique structure of this galaxy in their latest release. The new image reveals finer details in the galaxy’s disc and more background stars and galaxies than previous images.
Located 30 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo, the Sombrero Galaxy is instantly recognizable due to its rounded shape resembling a Mexican hat. It contains numerous stars but surprisingly lacks significant star formation, with less than one solar mass of gas converted into stars each year.
The galaxy’s central supermassive black hole is massive, with 9 billion solar masses, and its viewing angle allows for the observation of intricate dust clumps and strands, giving a unique effect reminiscent of Saturn’s rings on an epic scale.
This new image is part of ESA/Hubble’s celebrations marking the 35th anniversary of the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. The team has released several stunning images of the Sombrero Galaxy over the years, and this latest release showcases their ongoing efforts to capture its intricate details using advanced technology.
Source: https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2025/04/Hubble_offers_a_new_view_of_Sombrero_galaxy