This month's Hubble Heritage photo features the Sombrero Galaxy.

What wonders me is that they claim distance of 28 million light years for the galaxy. Every source I've seen reports distance of 50-60 million light years. If the former is true, Sombrero has to be considerably smaller in diameter than the Milky Way. To my knowledge, it's just opposite.

That is a nice view. I like it even better than the top view.

Wow that is a GREAT pic. thanx for the link

__________________
"Astronomy is not merely a hobby or a study, but a way of truly seeing and understanding the vast and magificent universe in which, by some extraordinary event, we exist."

Space.com gives distance/diameter of 28 millionn ly and 50,000 ly. Atlas of the Universe gives figures of 30 million ly and 75,000 ly. Its still probably much more massive than our galaxy though. Our galaxy seems to be more massive than M31 even though its not as big.

Heyyyyy hovering sombrero!
Softly floating in the sky above the meadow!
Gently waving in the breeze outside my window,
hovering sombrero, don't be shy.

Dooooooon't, dooon't be shy!
Doooon't be terrified.
When you take yourself for granted, feel rejected and unwanted,
know you're never just a hat, you know, you're never just a hat, you know,
hovering sombrero.

Time is flying like an arrow,
and the clock hands move so fast they make the wind blow,
and it makes the pages of the calendar go flying out the window, one by one...
'till a hundred years are on the front lawn,
and the old familiar things are mostly all gone,
but the old sombrero just keeps hovering on,
hovering sombrero, hover on...


Every time I see that photo, that song repeats itself in my head.

__________________
One nuclear bomb could wreck your whole day.

Sombrero is no doubt more massive, thanks to the extraordinary large central bulge. I just wanted to know if the value 28 million light years was more accurate/up-to-date or not than the often-used 50 light years.

[quote="Kullat Nunu"]This month's Hubble Heritage photo features the Sombrero Galaxy.

Thanks. First picture I ever saw of this galaxy was a large black & white photo in the Life Magazine hard bound science series, "The World We Live In" (1955)! Not nearly as detailed as this new view, but it was still very impressive. Every source I have (including modern ones) say its 50 million light years away.

The dust in the arms, including the lanes in front of the central bulge is quite intricate.

Has anyone reading this actually seen the Sombrero through their own telescope? I've got an 8" Newtonian and the Sombrero is one of the reasons I wanted a telescope. So I'm wondering just how much I can expect to see. Haven't really had good conditions for trying yet. I've been able to see some faint Messier objects fairly well (Ring Nebula.)
Anyone?

Yes.

An 8 inch scope is plenty to see the Sombrero. From a fairly dark site you should be able to tell that it is a galaxy, and you should be able to see the dust lane and central bulge.

Of course, you will not see the fine details visible in the Hubble photo.