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Mark Fisher
1999-2008
Sombrero Galaxy
M104, NGC 4594
Proper Names
Sombrero Galaxy
Messier Number
M104
NGC
/
IC
Number
NGC 4594
Constellation
Virgo
Right Ascension
12h 40m 12s
Declination
-11° 38' 42"
Distance
c.50,000,000
light years
c.15,000,000
parsecs
Magnitude
Apparent:
+9.2
Mean Diameter
Apparent: 6'
Actual: c.90,000
light years
Hubble Type
Spiral
class a
Optimum Visibility
April/May
A bright
spiral galaxy
in the
constellation
Virgo
, especially noted for an obscuring band of dust across its central plane.
The
Sombrero Galaxy
falls within the boundaries of the
galaxy
-rich
constellation
of
Virgo
, but only just. It is a mere 4½ arc minutes from
Virgo's
border with
Corvus
.
A view of the Sombrero galaxy, with the dark equatorial band clearly visible.
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Related Entries
Virgo