How to photograph the Sombrero Galaxy (M104)
An almost edge-on galaxy with a bright bulge and a sharp dust lane.
When to shoot it from your location
About the Sombrero Galaxy
The Sombrero is small and bright, with a dark dust lane that is a test of focus and seeing. It needs 800mm or more for a detailed view.
Gear and framing
The Sombrero Galaxy spans about 9′ of sky. It frames best with:
- Long focal length (800mm and up)
You can see how other people have built their rigs on RigDesigner, including my Sony a6700 and 60mm refractor rig.
Filters
This is a broadband target, which means its light is mostly starlight across the whole spectrum. Shoot it with no filter or a UV/IR cut filter. A broadband light pollution filter can help a little in the suburbs. Dual-band and narrowband filters block most of its light, so leave them off. Plan it for a moonless night at a dark site.
Tips
- Image it when it crosses the meridian to get it as high as possible out of the haze.
Processing
Stack your light frames with darks and flats, then remove the background gradient before stretching. AstroBake does all of this for you. Point it at your folders of raw frames, then adjust the result with live sliders.