The Sombrero Galaxy | M104 | Hubble Space Telescope by Deep Field

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has trained its razor-sharp eye on one of the universe's most stately and photogenic galaxies, the Sombrero galaxy, Messier 104 (M104). The galaxy's hallmark is a brilliant white, bulbous core encircled by the thick dust lanes comprising the spiral structure of the galaxy. As seen from Earth, the galaxy is tilted nearly edge-on. We view it from just six degrees north of its equatorial plane. This brilliant galaxy was named the Sombrero because of its resemblance to the broad rim and high-topped Mexican hat.

The image is presented with a scientific information layer that adds context to the astronomical object, including its name, classification, distance from Earth, constellation, field of view, and the filters used to create the image. The filter information is visualized using the corresponding wavelengths, expressed in nanometers or micrometers.

This combination of astronomical imagery and scientific information makes the work both a striking piece of space art and an accessible introduction to the universe beyond Earth.

The artwork is created from the highest-resolution source material published by ESA/Hubble and is suitable for large-format printing.