230625 - M20 "Trifid" nebula
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click image to enlarge
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ASTRO:
type=Emission + Reflection + Dark nebulae mag=6.3 const=Sagittarius dist=4100 ly size=33 ly IMAGE: location=EB Driveway BrtlCls=4 moon=37% WxCr (avg.) exposure=CMOS OSC: 68x300s (5.7h), Gain110 EQUIPMENT: camera=ZWO ASI2600MC-Pro optics=ES102, w 1.0x fltnr, F=714, f/7 filter=Optolog L-eXtreme Duo NB mount=Celestron AVX EQ guiding=Orion 60x240mm, ZWO ASi224MC SOFTWARE: acquisition=Stellarium, APT, PHD2. processing=PixInsight, RCAstro, PhotoshopCC, LrC |
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The beautiful Trifid Nebula, catalogued as Messier 20 (or M20), and as NGC 6514 is a cosmic study in contrast. It lies about 4,100 light-years away toward the nebula rich constellation Sagittarius. A star forming region in the plane of our galaxy, the Trifid illustrates three different types of astronomical nebulae; 1) red emission nebulae dominated by light from ionized hydrogen atoms, 2) blue reflection nebulae produced by dust reflecting starlight, and 3) dark nebulae where dense dust clouds appear in silhouette. But the red emission region, roughly separated into three parts by obscuring dust lanes, is what lends the Trifid its popular name. Pillars and jets sculpted by newborn stars above the emission nebula's center are visible in this image; but appear vividly in famous Hubble Space Telescope close-up images of the region. The Trifid Nebula is about 40 light-years across. Too faint to be seen by the unaided eye, it almost covers the area of a full moon in our sky. The Trifid lies in the Milky Way's Scutum-Centaurus Arm. It was discovered by Charles Messier on June 5, 1764.
The most massive star that has formed in this region is HD 164492A, an O-III (blue) star with a mass more than 20 times the mass of our Sun. This star is located in the heart of the red emission nebula and is surrounded by an open cluster of appx 3100 young stars. This close-up image shows the dense cloud of dust and gas, which is a stellar nursery full of embryonic stars. It is about 8 ly away from the nebula's central star. A stellar jet protrudes from the head of the cloud and is about 0.75 ly long. The jet's source is a young star deep inside the cloud. Jets are the exhaust gasses of star formation. Radiation from the nebula's central star makes the jet glow. Open star cluster M21, lies just outside this telescopic field of view, outside the top right edge of the frame.
The Trifid Nebula is a summer favorite among amateur astronomers, who enjoy seeking out the three main rifts of red obscuring dust. Those rifts spread from the Trifid’s core like roots from a tree. M20 is an exquisite deep sky astrophotography target, and worthy of extra attention through any telescope.
The most massive star that has formed in this region is HD 164492A, an O-III (blue) star with a mass more than 20 times the mass of our Sun. This star is located in the heart of the red emission nebula and is surrounded by an open cluster of appx 3100 young stars. This close-up image shows the dense cloud of dust and gas, which is a stellar nursery full of embryonic stars. It is about 8 ly away from the nebula's central star. A stellar jet protrudes from the head of the cloud and is about 0.75 ly long. The jet's source is a young star deep inside the cloud. Jets are the exhaust gasses of star formation. Radiation from the nebula's central star makes the jet glow. Open star cluster M21, lies just outside this telescopic field of view, outside the top right edge of the frame.
The Trifid Nebula is a summer favorite among amateur astronomers, who enjoy seeking out the three main rifts of red obscuring dust. Those rifts spread from the Trifid’s core like roots from a tree. M20 is an exquisite deep sky astrophotography target, and worthy of extra attention through any telescope.