Scientists detect an enormous halo around the iconic Sombrero Galaxy — Space photo of the week

Quick factsWhat it is: Sombrero Galaxy (M104)Where it is: 30 million light-years away, in the constellations Virgo and CorvusWhen it was shared: April 24, 2026The central bulge and dark dust trail, which together resemble a traditional Mexican hat, give the Sombrero Galaxy (Messier 104, or M104) its nickname — but this new image of the galaxy from the powerful Dark Energy Camera reveals two never-before-seen features.What sets this image apart are features that are usually too faint to detect. Surrounding the galaxy in this wide-angle image is an enormous, diffuse halo that extends far beyond the bright disk, stretching over three times the width of the sombrero itself and significantly increasing the galaxy's apparent size.The image also captures a faint stellar stream stretching away from one side of the galaxy. This thin, curved feature is barely perceptible at first glance, but a closer inspection reveals it as a distinct arc of light beneath the galaxy as it's shown here. It breaks the galaxy's perfect symmetry and suggests past violent interactions with a smaller satellite galaxy.The remarkable clarity of the image is due to the capabilities of the Dark Energy Camera, a 570-megapixel instrument mounted on the Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter