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M104: The Sombrero Galaxy's Tidal Streams
NASA ^
| 5 Oct, 2026
| Credit & Copyright Engelbert Vollmer, Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff, Jerry Bonnell, Cecilia Chi
Posted on 10/05/2026 12:27:19 PM PDT by MtnClimber
Explanation: A deep image of the Sombrero galaxy reveals surprises. M104 is named the Sombrero galaxy because, on shorter exposures, it looks like a hat. A key defining feature of this huge galaxy is a dark brim of dust that circles the disk galaxy's center. A much longer exposure, however, brings up a hairy past where a bright, hazy halo is revealed that extends well past the central disk and contains many unresolved stars. Surprisingly, in this stellar haze, structures can be seen that include a diagonal ring. These structures and tidal streams provide fresh evidence that M104 had a violent past and is surely the result of collisions and mergers of smaller galaxies. Light takes about 30 million years to reach us from the Sombrero galaxy, which fully spans about 150 thousand light years across. The featured image was taken over seven days in mid-2026 from Namibia.
TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; nasa
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2
posted on
10/05/2026 12:27:44 PM PDT
by
MtnClimber
(For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 31R1O; 4everontheRight; A Navy Vet; A_perfect_lady; abb; AFB-XYZ; ...
Pinging the APOD list
๐ช ๐ ๐ ๐
3
posted on
10/05/2026 12:28:29 PM PDT
by
MtnClimber
(For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
To: MtnClimber
La Cucaracha! Everybody sing, amigos!.........
4
posted on
10/05/2026 12:29:25 PM PDT
by
Red Badger
(Iryna Zarutska, May 22, 2002 Kyiv, Ukraine โ August 22, 2025 Charlotte, North Carolina Say her name)
To: Red Badger
La Cucaracha! La Cucaracha! Yum, yum so crunchy. We eat them. We are happy. Just like we were ordered.
5
posted on
10/05/2026 12:33:14 PM PDT
by
MtnClimber
(For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
To: MtnClimber
6
posted on
10/05/2026 12:37:01 PM PDT
by
Red Badger
(Iryna Zarutska, May 22, 2002 Kyiv, Ukraine โ August 22, 2025 Charlotte, North Carolina Say her name)
To: MtnClimber

Now whole galaxies are culturally appropriating!
7
posted on
10/05/2026 12:37:09 PM PDT
by
xp38
To: MtnClimber
8
posted on
10/05/2026 1:10:05 PM PDT
by
No name given
( Anonymous is who youโll know me as )
To: MtnClimber
9
posted on
10/05/2026 1:10:42 PM PDT
by
Adder
("A pack of jackasses led by a lion is superior to a pack of lions led by a jackass.โ GW.)
To: Red Badger; SaveFerris; Kenny Bania
Matador Eduardo Corrocchio lives there, I’ve heard.
10
posted on
10/05/2026 1:16:36 PM PDT
by
Larry Lucido
(Donate! Don't just post clickbait.)
To: Larry Lucido
To: xp38
I wonder what the nighttime skies in M104 would look compared to our skies.itโs fun to pick out amongst the stars in Virgo.
12
posted on
10/05/2026 2:09:15 PM PDT
by
telescope115
(Ad Astra, Ad Deumโฆ)
To: xp38
Nice to think that ring has a multitude of earthlike planets within virtual “walking distance” of each other. As close as we are to Alpha Centauri and maybe even much closer.
13
posted on
10/05/2026 2:25:18 PM PDT
by
BenLurkin
(The above is not a statement of fact. It is opinion or satire. Or both.)
To: MtnClimber
It kind of lookl like uranus?!
14
posted on
10/05/2026 2:59:29 PM PDT
by
hal ogen
(First Amendment or Reeducation Camp?)
To: MtnClimber
M104 is named the Sombrero galaxy because, on shorter exposures, it looks like a hat. And it's often seen sitting against a building taking a nap with a bottle of tequila sitting by its side.
15
posted on
10/05/2026 3:12:07 PM PDT
by
Texas Eagle
(If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all. )
To: Texas Eagle
M104 is named the Sombrero galaxy because, on shorter exposures, it looks like a hat.
To: MtnClimber
17
posted on
10/05/2026 5:06:58 PM PDT
by
SkyDancer
( ~ Am Yisrael Chai ~)
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