Spiral Galaxy M104

About This Photograph

The enigmatic Sombrero Galaxy is a wonderful example of a nearly edge-on galaxy; we see it at a tilt of only 6 degrees, just enough to reveal its brilliant nucleus and inner spiral structure, but shallow enough to allow its outer lanes of dust to dramatically bisect the view. What appears to be a veritable swarm of star-like objects around the main galaxy is actually the Sombrero's collection of globular clusters, roughly spherical bee hives of older stars, orbiting the galaxy in huge, looping paths that take them plunging through its disk, and back out into intergalactic space, like moths circling a cosmic flame.