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                        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.

                               2026 January 11
   A red-tinged ring of dust is seen nearly on edge. In the ring's center
    and extending around the frame, blue gas and stars are shown. Please
             see the explanation for more detailed information.

                    M104: The Sombrero Galaxy in Infrared
    Image Credit: NASA, JPL, Caltech, SSC, R. Kennicutt (Steward Obs.) et
                                    al.,

   Explanation: This floating ring is the size of a galaxy. In fact, it is
   a galaxy -- or at least part of one: the photogenic Sombrero Galaxy,
   one of the largest galaxies in the nearby Virgo Cluster of Galaxies.
   The dark band of dust that obscures the mid-section of the Sombrero
   Galaxy in visible light actually glows brightly in infrared light. The
   featured image, digitally sharpened, shows the infrared glow, recently
   recorded by the orbiting Spitzer Space Telescope, superposed in
   false-color on an existing image taken by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope
   in visible light. The Sombrero Galaxy, also known as M104, spans about
   50,000 light years and lies 28 million light years away. M104 can be
   seen with a small telescope in the direction of the constellation
   Virgo.

                 Jigsaw Galaxy: Astronomy Puzzle of the Day
                      Tomorrow's picture: meteor drift
     __________________________________________________________________

       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.
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                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,
                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

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