This image of M104 ("Sombrero Galaxy") was taken with a 20 cm (8 inch) Celestron SCT, an f6.3 focal reducer, and a ST-6 CCD camera.

This image of M104 ("Sombrero Galaxy") was taken with a 20 cm (8 inch) Celestron SCT at f10 using a ST-5 CCD camera.
M104, on the Virgo-Corvus Constellation border, is usually accepted as a member of the Virgo Cluster of Galaxies. It was discovered in 1781 and added by Charles Messier to his copy of the (Connaissance des Temps 1784). Consequently it has been added in many modern observing guides to the original Messier list, and given the number m104. M104, also known as the Sombrero Galaxy is named because of its distinctive large center and the dark lane of dust that runs along the equatorial plane of this spiral galaxy, seen only 6o degrees from edge-on. These features are hard to see in small telescopes, though the galaxy can be readily detected as a hazy oval patch .