The Sombrero Galaxy (Messier 104) is one of the most unique galaxies captured by NASA’s telescopes. It gets its name from its shape, which resembles a broad-rimmed Mexican hat when viewed from Earth. NASA describes it as having “a brilliant white, bulbous core encircled by thick dust lanes.”

A gentle glow surrounds the galaxy’s core due to the billions of old stars that make up its massive central bulge. Dark dust bands simultaneously create an eye-catching ring across the disk of the galaxy. Researchers have discovered that the Sombrero contains roughly 2,000 globular star clusters much more than those that orbit the Milky Way.
It is among the most famous pictures in astronomical photography because of these striking contrasts between light and shadow.
Image Credit: NASA