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Trifid nebula (M20) in Sagittarius

auteur: W.Promper/Novapix

référence: a-neb65-14001

Image Size 300 DPI: 14 * 10 cm

Measuring some forty light years across, this nebula contains enough gas to make many thousands of suns. Within it a number of young hot stars have already formed. The hottest cause the gas, mostly hydrogen, to emit its characteristic red light. Around the red emission nebula the gas contains many dust grains which preferentially reflect the blue component of starlight, and to the north (top) of the nebula can be seen a bright star which illuminates part of the dust to create a region of blue reflection. In some parts of the nebula there are so many dust grains that they hide the glowing gas, producing the three dark lanes which give the object its name. Trifid is located in Sagittarius constellation between 5000 and 10 000 light-years away.

Keywords for this photo:

2006 - ASTRONOMY - DIFFUSE NEBULA - EMISSION NEBULA - M20 - NEBULA - NGC 6514 - REFLECTION NEBULA - SAGITTARIUS - STAR - STAR FORMATION - TRIFID -