Phenomena

Lagoon Nebula

Messier 8, the Lagoon Nebula.

Some 4,100 light years away in the Sagittarius constellation, a stellar nursery births new stars. Known as Messier 8, or the Lagoon Nebula, this region is one of the most visible nebulas from Earth. It is filled with turbulent gases and dark strands of dust. Near the centerline of the image is the bright, hourglass shape of the NGC 6530 star cluster. Its intense ultraviolet light ionizes surrounding gases, creating the distinctive red glow surrounding the nebula. (Image credit: J. Drudis and C. Sasse; via APOD)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.