# Edge-on galaxy

Also called: dust lane.

A spiral galaxy seen exactly side-on: a thin streak of light, often split by a dark lane of dust.

When we see a spiral's disk side-on, its light piles up into a thin spindle, which makes edge-on galaxies easier to spot than face-on ones of the same brightness. The disk's dust shows as a dark lane along the middle.

NGC 4565 (the Needle Galaxy), NGC 891 and M 104 (the Sombrero) are the showpieces.

**At the eyepiece:** Look for the dust lane with averted vision at medium-high power; it's one of the most satisfying details in deep-sky observing.

**Examples:** [NGC4565](https://astropilot.space/object/NGC4565.md), [NGC891](https://astropilot.space/object/NGC891.md), [M104](https://astropilot.space/object/M104.md), [M82](https://astropilot.space/object/M82.md)

**Related:** [Spiral galaxy](https://astropilot.space/glossary/spiral-galaxy.md), [Averted vision](https://astropilot.space/glossary/averted-vision.md), [Galaxy](https://astropilot.space/glossary/galaxy.md)

From the AstroPilot astronomy glossary: https://astropilot.space/glossary/edge-on-galaxy