Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.2024 November 26 
The Sombrero Galaxy from Webb and Hubble Image Credit: NASA,ESA,CSA,STScI, Hubble Heritage Project (STScI, AURA) Explanation: This floating ring is the size of a galaxy. In fact, it is a galaxy -- or at least part of one: the photogenicSombrero Galaxyis one of the largest galaxies in the nearbyVirgo Cluster of Galaxies. The dark band ofdust that obscures the mid-section of theSombrero Galaxy in visible light (bottom panel) actually glows brightly in infrared light (top panel). The featured image shows theinfraredglow in false blue, recorded recently by the space-based James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and released yesterday, pictured above anarchival image taken byNASA's Hubble Space Telescope in visible light.The SombreroGalaxy, also known asM104, spans about 50,000 light years and lies 28 million light years away. M104can be seen with a small telescope in the direction of theconstellation Virgo. Tomorrow's picture: meteor races comet <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Amber StraughnSpecific rights apply.NASA Web Privacy,Accessibility, Notices; A service of:ASD atNASA /GSFC, NASA Science Activation& Michigan Tech. U.
