Overview

• The newly released image of the Sombrero Galaxy uses advanced processing to reveal unprecedented visible-light detail in its disk and background stars.
• Located 30 million light-years away in the Virgo constellation, the Sombrero Galaxy is known for its edge-on orientation and unique combination of spiral and elliptical features.
• The mosaic image was created by stitching multiple exposures together due to the galaxy's large angular size, which exceeds Hubble's field of view.
• Despite its dense stellar population, the galaxy has a low star formation rate, converting less than one solar mass of gas into stars annually.
• The Sombrero Galaxy's supermassive black hole, with a mass of nine billion suns, remains relatively calm compared to more active galactic centers.