Posted on Jan 11, 2026
APOD: 2026 January 11 – M104: The Sombrero Galaxy in Infrared
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Good morning, Rallypoint, and welcome to the January 11, 2026 edition of Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD). We visit the Sombrero Galaxy (M104) today in the constellation Virgo, and are presented with a composite image created from datasets from both the Hubble (visible light) and Spitzer (infrared light) Space Telescopes. The result is a clearer perspective of the characteristics of M104.
Why? Because infrared light has longer wavelengths than visible light and can pass through dense regions of gas and dust in space with less scattering and absorption. Thus, infrared energy can also reveal objects in the universe that cannot be seen in visible light using optical telescopes. That is (in my opinion at least) one reason why so many of the images from the new James Webb Space Telescope have been so eye-popping. We simply weren't fully aware of what is present until we were able to "look" more closely.
Why? Because infrared light has longer wavelengths than visible light and can pass through dense regions of gas and dust in space with less scattering and absorption. Thus, infrared energy can also reveal objects in the universe that cannot be seen in visible light using optical telescopes. That is (in my opinion at least) one reason why so many of the images from the new James Webb Space Telescope have been so eye-popping. We simply weren't fully aware of what is present until we were able to "look" more closely.
APOD: 2026 January 11 – M104: The Sombrero Galaxy in Infrared
Posted from apod.nasa.gov
Space
Science
Photography
Astronomy
Edited 15 h ago
Posted 16 h ago
Responses: 8
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Maj William W. 'Bill' Price oh my, this is absolutely breathtaking. I am loving the picture and my son is loving the article :)
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So first, the picture. Oh. My. God. The Universe is just stunning. Second, your assessment of the research techniques revealing things we can't see with our limited senses. Absolutely spot on. Third, I sit in awe of people who can figure out how to sense, see, and understand things we cannot see in our macro world - and put them into things we can see, sense and understand. That is a miracle all on its own. Our reality is truly limited. Nice...but limited LOL
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Maj William W. 'Bill' Price
SGT Kevin Hughes Thanks for stopping by. Don't get me started on the limits to our senses <chuckle>. That's where I believe both reason and the imagination kick in. The two can work together...and quite often it turns out they can both be right.
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