M104, also well-known as the Sombrero galaxy, has an unusually distended central bulge, which, combined with the fact that we see the galaxy edge-on, gives it a unique appearance. M104 is approximately 50 million light-years away, lying in the direction of the constellation of Virgo. Its spiral arms are well-defined against the glow of the galactic core, which is believed to contain a very massive central black hole.
