Sombrero Galaxy size and scale context

The Sombrero Galaxy is a bright, nearly edge-on galaxy famous for its huge central bulge and sharply defined dust lane. Its unusual appearance makes it one of the most iconic galaxies in the sky, and observations suggest it combines features of both a spiral galaxy and a giant elliptical system. Read its scale context, comparisons, and journey links on the canonical object page.

Tarantula NebulaStar-forming nebula·1,000 ly
Sculptor Dwarf GalaxyDwarf spheroidal galaxy·3,300 ly
Small Magellanic CloudDwarf irregular galaxy·18,892 ly
Large Magellanic CloudDwarf irregular galaxy·32,200 ly
Sombrero GalaxyPeculiar galaxy·100,000 ly
Milky WayBarred spiral galaxy·100,000 ly

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