Mirror Sites:
CSUDH - Habermas - UWP

California State University, Dominguez Hills
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Soka University Japan - Transcend Art and Peace
Created: February 25, 2002
Latest Update: February 25, 2002
jeannecurran@habermas.org
takata@uwp.edu

By Marcel Dalfsen, Astronomer
Link on the photo for the poster version.

Copyright: Jeanne Curran and Susan R. Takata and Individaul Authors, February 2002.
"Fair use" encouraged.

The Sombrero Galaxy is a spiral galaxy.

M104 - The Sombrero Galaxy Marcel VanDalfsen, Doctoral Student in Astronomy, McMaster University.

Small Poster of Sombrero Galaxy backup Link added February 25, 2002.

References:

• M 31 - The Andromeda Galaxy Link added February 25, 2002.

• Spiral Galaxies Link added February 25, 2002.

  "Among the galaxies, there are apparently three main categories, according to their appearance: the disk galaxies (`cosmic frisbies' according to P. Murdin, D. Allen, and D. Malin), consisting of a huge disk of stars and interstellar matter, which may form interesting patterns, the elliptical galaxies (`cosmic footballs') which are uniformly looking, ellipsoidal agglomerations of stars, and the irregular galaxies (`cosmic misfits') which cannot be integrated in this scheme.

  "Physically, it is not necessary so clear (at least in the opinion of the present author) if this classification is real, because there exist intermediate types even between ellipticals and spirals, i.e. spiral galaxies often have an ellipsoidally formed "bulge" which may be very luminous (as in case of the Sombrero galaxy M104) or rather inconspicuous; some spirals seem to lack this component at all. A heavy bulge is often connected with the presence of a big ellipsoidal core. . . ."
  From Spiral Galaxies. First two paragraphs.

• Spiral Galaxies Ohio State University Course Lecture by Professor Darren L. DePoy. Link added February 25, 2002.

• What is a galaxy? An interactive lesson to share with young people. Link added February 25, 2002.