Seen edge-on from our vantage point on Earth, Messier 104—better known as the Sombrero Galaxy—cuts a dramatic profile against a rich field of distant stars and galaxies. The thick dust lane bisecting its bright, glowing halo is what gives M104 its distinctive hat-like appearance, while the brilliant central bulge reveals the intensity of stellar activity and a suspected supermassive black hole at its heart.

Located approximately 28 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo, M104 spans nearly 50,000 light-years across. This deep image masterfully reveals the fine structure of the galaxy's dark dust, glowing core, and extended halo, along with hints of background galaxies far beyond. The clarity and isolation of the Sombrero in space make it one of the most photogenic spiral galaxies in the sky.