M104 - The Sombrero Galaxy
Fri Apr 10 2026
The Sombrero Galaxy is one I had wanted to photograph for years and finally caught in a single clear night. Its nickname says it all: a bright, nearly edge-on galaxy with a glowing central bulge wrapped in a dark lane of dust, giving it the look of a wide-brimmed hat. It sits about 29 million light-years away and holds an estimated 100 billion stars. Because it is so bright, it rewards even one night under the stars.
About this object
- Type
- Galaxy
- Constellation
- Virgo (the Maiden)
- Distance
- ~31 million light-years
- Apparent magnitude
- 8.6
- Apparent size
- 8.4′ × 4.9′
- Also known as
- Sombrero Galaxy
- Catalogue designations
- M 104, NGC 4594
Acquisition
- Antlia V-Pro Red 36 mm: 112 × 1m (1h 52m)
- Antlia V-Pro Green 36 mm: 140 × 1m (2h 20m)
- Antlia V-Pro Blue 36 mm: 100 × 1m (1h 40m)
- Total integration: 5h 52m
Equipment
- Telescope / Lens: Celestron C8
- Camera: ZWO ASI2600MM Pro
- Mount: Celestron CGEM II
- Filters: Antlia V-Pro Blue 36 mm, Antlia V-Pro Green 36 mm, Antlia V-Pro Red 36 mm
- Guiding scope: SVBony SV106 60mm Guide Scope
- Guiding camera: ZWO ASI174MM Mini
- Accessories: Celestron 0.63X SCT Reducer (94175), ZWO EFW 7 x 36mm
- Software: Pleiades Astrophoto PixInsight
Astrophotography by David Joyce, AstroDavido.