Free Astronomy Magazine July-August 2026 ARABIC VERSION

ASTROPUBLISHING whichappearstostretchoverthree timesthewidthoftheSombreroit- self.Thismaybethefirsttimethe halo has been captured with this level of detail and at this large a scale. DECam’s incredible sensitivity also captured a sweeping stellar stream extending from the south sideofthegalaxy.Thehaloandthe stellar stream are populated with starsthathavebeentornfromtheir home galaxies, hinting at a past galactic merger between the Som- breroandasmallersatellitegalaxy. ThestoryofMessier104’sdiscovery isintertwinedwiththeendeavorsof several prominent astronomers. It was initially spotted by the French astronomerandcomethunterPierre Méchainin1781whenhewasanas- sociate of the renowned comet hunter Charles Messier. At that time, Messier was compiling a list of non-cometary celestial objects, nowfamouslyknownastheMessier Catalogue,toaidotherastronomers indistinguishingtheseobjectsfrom passing comets. Interestingly, Messier 104 did not find its place in the original publica- tionofMessier’slist.However,itwas laterdiscoveredthatMessieradded it by hand to his per- sonal copy. Independ- ently, in 1784, the well-known astrono- mer William Herschel also stumbled uponthis remarkable galaxy anddesignateditasH I.43. It wasn’t until French astronomer Camille Flammarion’s subsequent confirma- tion that these two in- dependent discoveries were the same object that Messier 104 offi- cially earned its place in the Messier Cata- logue in 1921. Thus,throughthecol- laborative efforts of these astronomers acrossdifferenteras, the Sombrero Galaxy has become a celebrated addition to our knowl- edgeofdeepskyobjects.Itsalluring visualcharacteristics,coupledwith its accessibility to amateur equip- ment, contribute to Messier 104’s popularity among stargazers. Ama- teur astronomers often enjoy ob- serving and photographing the SombreroGalaxy,makingitaprime target for citizen science projects andpublicoutreachefforts.Itisan excellent subject for sharing the wonders of the Universe with the public and fostering engagement withastronomyandscience.     JULY-AUGUST2026 ﻣﺠﻠﺔ FreeAstronomy ﺎﻟﻌﺮ ﺔ ﺗﻤﺘﺪ إﱃ أﻛﺜﺮ ﻣﻦ ﺛﻼﺛﺔ أﺿﻌﺎف ﻋﺮض ا ﺠﺮة ﻧﻔﺴﻬﺎ وﻗﺪ ﺗﻜﻮن ﻫﺬه ﻣﻦ ا ﺮات اﻷوﱃ اﻟﺘـﻲ ﺗ ﺮﺻﺪ ﻓﻴﻬـﺎ ﻫـﺬه اﻟﻬﺎﻟـﺔ ﺑﻬـﺬا اﻟﻘـﺪر ﻣـﻦ ا ﻟﺘﻔﺎﺻﻴﻞ وﻋﲆ ﻫﺬا اﻟﻨﻄﺎق اﻟﻮاﺳﻊ . ﻛﻤﺎ رﺻـﺪت ﺣﺴﺎﺳـﻴﺔ ﻛـﺎﻣ ا ) دي ﻛـﺎم ( اﻟﻌﺎﻟﻴـﺔ ﺗﻴـﺎراً ﻧﺠﻤﻴـﺎً ﻣﻤﺘــﺪاً ﻣـﻦ اﻟﺠﺎﻧـﺐ اﻟﺠﻨﻮﺑﻲ ﻟﻠﻤﺠﺮة وﺗﺤﺘـﻮي ﻛـﻞ ﻣـﻦ اﻟﻬ ﺎﻟـﺔ واﻟﺘﻴـﺎر اﻟﻨﺠﻤـﻲ ﻋـﲆ ﻧﺠـﻮم اﻧﺘﺰﻋـﺖ ﻣـﻦ ﻣﺠﺮاﺗﻬﺎ اﻷﺻﻠﻴﺔ ﻣﺎ ﻳﺸ إﱃ ﺣﺪوث اﻧـﺪﻣﺎج ﻣﺠﺮي ﰲ ا ﺎﴈ ﺑ ﻣﺠﺮة اﻟﻘﺒﻌﺔ ا ﻜﺴﻴﻜﻴﺔ وﻣ ﺠﺮة ﻗﺰﻣﺔ ﺗﺎﺑﻌـﺔ ﻟﻬـﺎ . ﻗﺼـﺔ اﻛﺘﺸـﺎف ﻣﺠﺮة اﻟﻘﺒﻌﺔ ا ﻜﺴﻴﻜﻴﺔ ﺗﺮﺗﺒﻂ ﺑﺠﻬﻮد ﻋـﺪد ﻣﻦ أﺑﺮز ﻋﻠﻤﺎء اﻟﻔﻠﻚ ﰲ اﻟﻘﺮﻧ اﻟﺜﺎﻣﻦ ﻋﴩ واﻟﺘﺎﺳﻊ ﻋﴩ . ﻓﻘﺪ رﺻﺪﻫﺎ ﻷول ﻣﺮة اﻟﻔﻠﻜﻲ اﻟﻔﺮﻧﴘ وﺻﺎﺋﺪ ا ﺬﻧﺒﺎت ﺑﻴ ﻣﻴﺸـﺎن ﻋـﺎم واﻟﺘﺎﺳﻊ ﻋﴩ . ﻓﻘﺪ رﺻﺪﻫﺎ ﻷول ﻣﺮة اﻟﻔﻠﻜﻲ اﻟﻔﺮﻧﴘ وﺻﺎﺋﺪ ا ﺬﻧﺒﺎت ﺑﻴ ﻣﻴﺸـﺎن ﻋـﺎم 1781 أﺛﻨﺎء ﻋﻤﻠﻪ ﻣﻊ اﻟﻔﻠﻜﻲ اﻟﺸﻬ ﺷـﺎرل . ﻣﺴﻴﻴﻪ ﰲ ذﻟﻚ اﻟﻮﻗﺖ ﻛﺎن ﻣﺴﻴﻴﻪ ﻳﻌﻤﻞ ﻋﲆ إﻋﺪاد ﻗﺎﺋﻤﺔ ﻟﻸﺟﺮام اﻟﺴﻤﺎوﻳﺔ ﻏ ا ـﺬﻧﺒﺎت واﻟﺘﻲ أﺻﺒﺤﺖ ﻻﺣ ﻘﺎً ﺗﻌـﺮف ﺑﺎﺳـﻢ ﻓﻬـﺮس ﻣﺴﻴﻴﻪ اﻟﺸﻬ ﺑﻬﺪف ﻣﺴﺎﻋﺪة اﻟﻔﻠﻜﻴ ﻋﲆ اﻟﺘﻤﻴﻴﺰ ﺑ ﻫﺬه اﻷﺟﺮام وا ـﺬﻧﺒﺎت اﻟﻌـﺎﺑﺮة . وﻣﻦ ا ﺜ ﻟﻼﻫﺘﻤﺎم أن ﻣﺴﻴﻴﻪ 104 ﻟﻢ ﺗُﺪرج ﰲ اﻟ ﻨﺴﺨﺔ اﻷﺻﻠﻴﺔ ا ﻨﺸـﻮرة ﻣـﻦ اﻟﻔﻬـﺮس ﻟﻜﻦ ﺗﺒ ﻻﺣﻘﺎً أن ﺷـﺎرل ﻣﺴـﻴﻴﻪ أ ﺿـﺎﻓﻬﺎ ﺑﺨﻂ ﻳـﺪه إﱃ ﻧﺴـﺨﺘﻪ اﻟﺸﺨﺼـﻴﺔ وﺑﺸـﻜﻞ ﻣﺴـﺘﻘﻞ اﻛﺘﺸـﻒ اﻟﻔﻠﻜـﻲ اﻟﺸـﻬ وﻳﻠﻴـﺎم ﻫ ﺷﻞ ﻫﺬه ا ﺠﺮة ﻋﺎم ١٧٨٤ وأدرﺟﻬﺎ ﺗﺤﺖ اﻟﺮﻣــﺰ H I.43 . وﻟــﻢ ﻳُﺆﻛــﺪ أن ﻫــﺬﻳﻦ ﻫ ﺷـﻞ ﻫـﺬه ا ﺠـﺮة ﻋـﺎم 1784 وأدرﺟﻬﺎ ﺗﺤﺖ اﻟﺮﻣـﺰ H I.43 . ﺆﻛﺪ ﻳ وﻟﻢ أن ﻫـﺬﻳﻦ اﻻﻛﺘﺸﺎﻓ ﻳﻌﻮدان إﱃ اﻟﺠﺮم ﻧﻔﺴـﻪ إﻻ ﻻﺣﻘ ـﺎ ﺪ ﻋ ـﲆ ﻳ ـ اﻟﻔﻠﻜـﻲ اﻟﻔﺮﻧـ ـ ﴘﻛﺎﻣﻴـﻞ ﻓﻼﻣ ﺎرﻳﻮن وﺑﻌﺪ ﻫﺬا اﻟﺘﺤﻘﻖ اﻟﺘـﺎرﻳﺨﻲ أُﺿـﻴﻔﺖ ﻣﺠـﺮة ﻣﺴـــﻴﻴﻪ 104 رﺳـــﻤﻴﺎً إﱃ ﻓﻬﺮس ﻣﺴـﻴﻴﻪ ﻋـﺎم 1921 ﻟﺘﺼﺒﺢ واﺣـﺪة ﻣـﻦ أﺷـﻬﺮ أﻫـﺪاف اﻟﺮﺻـﺪ اﻟﻔﻠﻜ ـﻲ ﰲ اﻟﺴﻤﺎء . ﺗﺠﻤﻊ ﻣﺠﺮة اﻟﻘﺒﻌﺔ ا ﻜﺴــﻴﻜﻴﺔ ﺑــ اﻟﺠﻤــﺎل ـاﻟ ﺒﴫي وﺳـﻬﻮﻟﺔ اﻟﺮﺻـﺪ وﻫﻮ ﻣﺎ ﺟﻌﻠﻬﺎ ﻫﺪﻓﺎً ﻣﻔﻀﻼً ﻟﻬﻮاة اﻟﻔﻠـﻚ ﺣـﻮل اﻟﻌـﺎﻟﻢ . ﻓﻜﺜ اً ﻣﺎ ﻳﺘ ﺠـﻪ اﻟﺮاﺻـﺪون وا ﺼــﻮرون اﻟﻔﻠﻜﻴــﻮن إﱃ ﺗﺼـﻮﻳﺮﻫﺎ ورﺻـﺪﻫﺎ ﻛﻤ ـﺎ ﺗﺼـﻮﻳﺮﻫﺎ ورﺻــﺪﻫﺎ، ﻛﻤـﺎ أﺻﺒﺤﺖ ﻫﺪﻓﺎً ﻣﻬﻤﺎً ﺸﺎرﻳﻊ اﻟﻌﻠﻮم ا ﺠﺘﻤﻌﻴـﺔ وﺑـﺮاﻣﺞ اﻟﺘﻮﻋﻴﺔ اﻟﻌﻠﻤﻴﺔ . وﺗُﻌﺪ ﻫـﺬه ا ﺠﺮة ﻣﺜﺎﻻً ﻣﻤﺘﺎزاً ﺸﺎرﻛﺔ رواﺋﻊ اﻟﻜﻮن ﻣﻊ اﻟﺠﻤﻬـﻮر وﺗﻌﺰﻳﺰ اﻻﻫﺘﻤﺎم ﺑﻌﻠﻢ اﻟﻔﻠﻚ واﻟﻌﻠــﻮم، إذ ﺗﺠﻤــﻊ ﺑــ اﻟﻘ ﻴﻤــﺔ اﻟﻌﻠﻤﻴــﺔ اﻟﻌﺎﻟﻴــﺔ وا ﻈﻬﺮ اﻟﺒﴫي اﻷﺧﺎذ اﻟﺬي ﻳﺠﻌﻠﻬـﺎ ﻣـﻦ أﻛﺜـﺮ أﺟـﺮام ﺳــﻤﺎء اﻟﻌﻤﻴﻘــﺔ ﺷــﻬﺮة وﺗﻤﻴﺰاً ::: . أﺻ ـﺒﺤﺖ ﻫــﺪﻓﺎً ﻣﻬﻤــﺎً ﺸــﺎرﻳﻊ اﻟﻌﻠــﻮم ا ﺠﺘﻤﻌﻴﺔ وﺑﺮاﻣﺞ اﻟﺘﻮﻋﻴﺔ اﻟﻌﻠﻤﻴﺔ . ًﻛﻤـﺎ أن ﺑﻨﻴﺘﻬـﺎ اﻟﻔﺮﻳـﺪة ﺗﺠﻌﻠﻬـﺎ ﻣﺨﺘـﱪاً ﻃﺒﻴﻌﻴـﺎ ﻟﺪراﺳﺔ ﺗﻄﻮر ا ﺠﺮات وا ﻼﻗ ﺑ اﻟﺜﻘـﻮب اﻟﺴﻮدا ء ﻓﺎﺋﻘﺔ اﻟﻜﺘﻠﺔ و ﺠﺮاﺗﻬﺎ ا ﻀﻴﻔﺔ ﻣـﺎ ﻳﻤــﻨﺢ ا ﻟﺒــﺎﺣﺜ ﻓﺮﺻــﺔ ﻟﻔﻬــﻢ ﺗــﺎرﻳﺦ اﻻﻧﺪﻣﺎﺟﺎت ا ﺠﺮﻳﺔ وﺗﻮزﻳﻊ ا دة ﰲ أﻃـﺮاف ا ﺠﺮات ﰲ اﻟﻜﻮن ا ﻦ ﺣ ﻟﻨﺎ . ﺗُﻌﺪ ﻫﺬه ا ﺠﺮة ﻣﺜﺎﻻً ﺸﺎرﻛﺔ رواﺋﻊ اﻟﻜـﻮن ﻣﻊ اﻟﺠﻤﻬﻮر وﺗﻌ ﺰﻳﺰ اﻻﻫﺘﻤـﺎم ﺑﻌﻠـ ﻢ اﻟﻔﻠـﻚ واﻟﻌﻠﻮم إذ ﺗﺠﻤﻊ ﺑ اﻟﻘﻴﻤﺔ اﻟﻌﻠﻤﻴﺔ وا ﻈﻬﺮ اﻟﺒﴫي اﻷﺧﺎذ اﻟﺬي ﻳﺠﻌﻠﻬﺎ ﻣﻦ أﻛﺜﺮ أﺟـﺮام اﻟ ﺴﻤﺎء اﻟﻌﻤﻴﻘﺔ ﺷﻬﺮة وﺗﻤﻴﺰاً . - ﻳﻮﻟﻴﻮ ﺃﻏﺴﻄﺲ 2 0 2 6 ﺻــــــــﻮرة ﻟ ﻣﻘﺮ ّــــــــﺔ ﻤﺠــــــــﺮة ﺳـــــــــــــــــــﻮﻣ ﺮو أو اﻟﻘ ﻌـــــــــــــــــــﺔ اﻟﻤﻜﺴـــــــــــــــ ﻜ ﺔ اﻟﺘﻘﻄﺘﻬــــــــــــــــﺎ ــــــﺎﻣ ا اﻟﻄﺎﻗــــــﺔ اﻟﻤﻈﻠﻤـــــــﺔ ) ﺎم د ( اﻟﻤﺘﻄﻮرة . [CTIO/NOIRLab/DOE/ NSF/AURA. Image Processing: T.A. Rector(University of Alaska Anchorage/ NSF NOIRLab), D. de Martin & M. Zamani (NSF NOIRLab)]