M8 Lagoon and M20 Trifid nebulae

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In summary, the M8 Lagoon and M20 Trifid nebulae are two distinct nebulae located in the constellation Sagittarius, with the former resembling a lagoon and the latter having three distinct lobes. They are approximately 4,100 and 5,200 light years away from Earth, respectively. Both nebulae are considered to be active star-forming regions, containing hot, young stars that ionize the surrounding gas to create colorful emissions. While visible with binoculars or a small telescope, they are not visible to the naked eye and require dark skies and good viewing conditions. Interesting features within the nebulae include dark dust lanes, bright star clusters, and pillars of gas and dust. The
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davenn
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hi everyone

a little more processing of some imaging from July 2016

M20 - Trifid Nebula on the left a striking blue and red nebula and
M8 - the Lagoon Nebula on the right
The fuzzy yellow blob to the right of M8 is NGC6544, a globular cluster
The group of stars in the lower left corner is M21, an open cluster

This is 11 frames stacked in Deep Sky Stacker and edited in Lightroom
Canon 6D, 11 x 30 sec subs, 400mm @f5.6 and ISO3200

Lagoon Nebula 2016-07 11 x stacked-2sm.jpg
cheers
Dave
 
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Beauty! :smile:
 
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Related to M8 Lagoon and M20 Trifid nebulae

1. What are the M8 Lagoon and M20 Trifid nebulae?

The M8 Lagoon and M20 Trifid nebulae are two distinct nebulae located in the constellation Sagittarius. They are named after their unique shapes, with the M8 Lagoon nebula resembling a lagoon and the M20 Trifid nebula having three distinct lobes.

2. How far away are the M8 Lagoon and M20 Trifid nebulae?

The M8 Lagoon nebula is approximately 4,100 light years away from Earth, while the M20 Trifid nebula is approximately 5,200 light years away.

3. What makes the M8 Lagoon and M20 Trifid nebulae significant?

The M8 Lagoon and M20 Trifid nebulae are both considered to be active star-forming regions. They contain hot, young stars that are ionizing the surrounding gas, creating the colorful emission of light that we see.

4. Can the M8 Lagoon and M20 Trifid nebulae be seen with the naked eye?

While both nebulae are relatively bright and can be seen with binoculars or a small telescope, they are not visible to the naked eye. They require a dark sky and good viewing conditions to be seen.

5. Are there any interesting features within the M8 Lagoon and M20 Trifid nebulae?

Both nebulae contain several interesting features, including dark dust lanes, bright star clusters, and pillars of gas and dust. The M20 Trifid nebula also has a unique feature known as a "gaseous bow shock", caused by a high-speed stellar wind interacting with the surrounding gas.

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