Astronomy Picture of the Day - The Sombrero Galaxy from Webb and Hubble

NASA ^ | 26 Nov, 2024 | Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Hubble Heritage Project (STScI, AURA)

[MtnClimber]

Explanation: This floating ring is the size of a galaxy. In fact, it is a galaxy -- or at least part of one: the photogenic Sombrero Galaxy is one of the largest galaxies in the nearby Virgo Cluster of Galaxies. The dark band of dust that obscures the mid-section of the Sombrero Galaxy in visible light (bottom panel) actually glows brightly in infrared light (top panel). The featured image shows the infrared glow in false blue, recorded recently by the space-based James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and released yesterday, pictured above an archival image taken by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope in visible light. The Sombrero Galaxy, also known as M104, spans about 50,000 light years and lies 28 million light years away. M104 can be seen with a small telescope in the direction of the constellation Virgo.

[MtnClimber]

To be added or removed from the Astronomy Picture of the Day ping list please send me a request via "Private Reply" (Mail).

For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.

[MtnClimber]

[MtnClimber]

Pinging the APOD list

🪐 🌟 🌌 🍔

[DFG]

Aye Caramba!

[Larry Lucido]

I'd like to see a picture of the Urban Sombrero Galaxy.

[DannyTN]

[SkyDancer]

I wonder how many solar systems are in it and how many life forms/humans might be there.

[NeverTyranny]

Just spectacularly gorgeous!

[tired&retired]

Webb Hubbel... there’s a name from the Hillary Whitewater and Rose Law firm days. Chelsea’s father.

[No name given]

Wow.

[ComputerGuy]

Stellar

[Chode]

beautiful...

are they real light or artificial light?

[MtnClimber]

The Hubble is real light and Webb is infrared (shown as blue color). The IR penetrates dust better without much distortion.

[daniel1212]

Actually, this galaxy can be found on my Desktop as well as a gospel tract I helped pen, glory and thanks be to God.

WHERE Will You Spend ETERNITY? (PDF tract form: see printing comments)

[telescope115]

Yes, but this would be Edwin Hubble, the astronomer that discovered that there are other galaxies besides our own.

[telescope115]

That is so cool, to see both versions.

[Verginius Rufus]

There was an interesting program on C-SPAN a couple of days ago featuring the scientist Mario Livio (co-author of a book entitled Is Earth Exceptional? The Quest for Cosmic Life).

He concluded that there is no way to know if there is life anywhere else in the universe, unless we discover it.

He said that the three basic questions in science are:

1. The origin of the universe
2. The origin of life
3. The origin of consciousness

I think the program can be found if you search the C-SPAN website.

[Chode]

thx...

[minnesota_bound]

That is a supergate that the Ori created.

[Texan4Life]

I found this 2025 Outer Space calendar at Ollie’s Bargain Outlet with a sticker price of just $2.99 ! !

https://www.browntrout.com/science-and-nature/outer-space-2025-12-x-24-inch-monthly-square-wall-calendar-foil-stamped-cover.html