The Sombrero galaxy is so named because, in visible light images, lying nearly edge-on to us, it bears an uncanny resemblance to a sombrero hat, with its wide rim and bulging center.

The Sombrero lies near the border of Virgo and Corvus, a smaller constellation nestled just south of the Maiden. To locate the Sombrero, start at 1st-magnitude Spica, Virgo’s alpha star.