Antilhue - Chile

M 104 - Sombrero Hi-Res
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Image Data

Designation M 104,  Sombrero Galaxy,  NGC 4594,  Bennett 52
Object type Spiral galaxy
Coordinates 12h40m,  - 11d39'
Constellation Virgo (Vir)
Description Called the Sombrero Galaxy because of its shape, this bright near-edge-on spiral lies 50 million lightyears away towards the Virgo cluster of galaxies, but very much nearer to us. M104 features a structured dust lane, a very bright core, well defined spiral arms and an unusually pronounced halo containing an extended globular cluster system. It was not listed in the first published Messier catalog.  Charles Messier added it by hand in his personal copy after identifying it as a 'very faint nebula' in May 1781.

There is also an earlier image taken with a 6" refractor.

Exposure LRGB 110:30:40:60 min @ -15°C, all exposures 10 min, RGB binned 2x2
Camera SBIG ST-10XE selfguided,  CFW-8, Astronomik Type II RGB Filterset
Optics RCOS 14.5" Ritchey-Chrétien @ f/9
Mount Astro-Physics AP1200GTO
Software MaxIm DL/CCD,  DeBloomer,  Sigma Pre Beta 11,  Adobe Photoshop CS
Location - Date - Time San Esteban (Chile) - 20Feb2004 - 06:30 UTC
Conditions Transparency 7,  Seeing 8, Temperature +14°C