M104 - Sombrero Galaxy

M104 - Sombrero Galaxy: This is a bright, unbarred, spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo. The prominent bulge and dust ring give the galaxy the appearance of a large, Mexican hat, thus the Sombraro name.

Messier: 104
NGC: 4594
Right Ascension: 12h 40m
Declination: -11° 37.3'
Apparent Magnitude: 9.0

Date: June 2007
Equipment:
Telescope: Meade 10" f 6.3 LX200 Schmidt Cassegrain
Camera: SBIG ST-10XE
Guiding: Meade 5" refractor/DSI Pro/PHD

Exposure: 1 minute subframes binned 2x2.
Processing Notes: All data processing, including acquisition, reduction, alignment, and median subframe combining, was done in CCDSoft.
Scale: ~1.0"/pixel

Links to images of this object on other sites:
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060115.html
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070505.html
http://www.pbase.com/gregbradley/image/123997685

Additional Comments: The camera at the Fort Lewis Observatory is typically installed "upside down" to allow for greater clearance with the LX200 fork mount. This is one of the objects that got "turned over" because it is so recognizable in this orientation. This is also one of the first images using the external Meade guide scope and PHD autoguiding. Data aquisition and processing by Laurie Hakes.

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