The Sombrero Galaxy gets its name because it looks like a Mexican hat (sombrero) when viewed from Earth! 🎩

• It’s about 31 million light-years away.

• It has a bright central bulge and a thick ring of dust around it — making it one of the most photogenic galaxies ever discovered.

  Fun Fact: The Sombrero Galaxy has billions of stars and a supermassive black hole at its center!

  
  

🏛️ Origin of the Name

• The Sombrero Galaxy was named because, when viewed from Earth, it looks like a Mexican sombrero hat! 🎩

• It has a bright, round central bulge and a thick ring of dust around it — just like a hat’s crown and brim.

• The name “Sombrero” is the Spanish word for “hat.”

  
  

Why the Name:
Its shape reminded astronomers of a wide-brimmed sombrero hat.