
M104, the Sombrero Galaxy (NGC 4594), is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo. It lies about 29 million light-years from Earth and has a diameter of roughly 50,000 to 60,000 light-years.
The galaxy has an exceptionally large, bright core and tightly wound spiral arms that are difficult to distinguish because we view the galaxy almost edge-on, making the prominent, dark, and well-defined dust lane particularly striking. This dust lane gives the galaxy its characteristic appearance, reminiscent of a Mexican sombrero, which is the origin of its name.
The prominent bulge at the galaxy’s center is likely dominated by a supermassive black hole. Also remarkable is the large population of globular clusters surrounding M104.
Shooting Data
| Object | M 104 (NGC 4594) |
| Name | Sombrero Galaxy |
| Object Type | Spiral Galaxy |
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Distance | Approx. 29 million light-years |
| Diameter | Approx. 50,000-60,000 light-years |
| Recording Date | May 2025 |
| Recording Location | Antequera, Andalusia/Spain |
| Telescope | Omegon Ritchey-Chretien Pro RC 203/1624 OTA |
| Focal Length | 1624 mm |
| Corrector | TS Optics Corrector for RC-Telescope 2” |
| Mount | ZWO AM5 N Harmonic Equatorial Drive |
| Camera | ZWO ASI 2600 MC Pro Color |
| Control | ZWO Asiair Plus 256GB |
| Guiding Camera | ZWO ASI 220 MM Mini Mono |
| Filters | Optolong L-Pro |
| Exposure Time | 5h 25min |
| Calibration | Darks, Flats, Darkflats |
| Image Processing | PixInsight, Adobe Photoshop |