With an unusually prominent central bulge and a defined dust lane that circumscribes the entire galactic disk, the Messier 104 galaxy is visually similar to a sombrero, or really any other wide-brimmed hat. At the center of the central bulge is a supermassive black hole of nearly one billion solar masses, while the hydrogen-rich dust lane is home to prolific star formation. Due to its unusual shape and orientation, astronomers have yet to properly classify the Sombrero Galaxy.
Acquisition Date: June 3, 2024
Acquisition Site: Kaibab Lodge, AZ
Equipment: Takahashi TOA-130NFB, ASI2600MC, Astro-Physics 1200GTO, Astrodon MOAG
Subframes: 69 x 180s
Software: PixInsight, Apple Photos, Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, APCC, Starry Night, SharpCap