Sombrero Galaxy (M104, NGC 4594)
 |
M104. Wedelstein Observatory
|
A type Sa spiral galaxy in the constellation
Virgo whose unusually large central bulge, richly
populated with several hundred globular clusters,
and dark prominent dust lanes give it the appearance of a Mexican hat; we
see it from about 6° south of its equatorial plane. Discovered by Pierre
Méchain in 1781, it became the first galaxy
for which a large redshift (equivalent
to a recession velocity of about 1,000 km/s) was found, by Vesto Slipher
in 1912. It is also the first galaxy in which rotation was detected, again
by Slipher. Modern studies have shown the Sombrero to have both a very extended
faint halo and a mildly active nucleus indicative of the presence a central
supermassive black hole.
| visual magnitude |
8.0 |
| apparent size |
9' × 4' |
| distance |
50,000,000 light-years |
| position |
R.A. 12h 40.0m;
Dec. -11° 37' |
Related categories
• GALAXIES
• MESSIER
CATALOGUE
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