The Trifid Nebula or Messier 20, M20, is around 4100 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Sagittarius near the Lagoon Nebula. It is a visually fascinating combination of a star cluster, an emission nebula, a reflection nebula and a dark nebula, which is responsible for the three lobed appearance of the emission nebula. Visible within the image are several jets and stalks of gas. The jet’s source is a young stellar object deep within the cloud. Jets are the exhaust gasses of star formation and radiation from the nebula’s central star makes the jet glow. The stalks are prominent examples of evaporating gaseous globules. The image was completed using data from a remote hosting facility in Chile.
Planwave CDK17
Software Bisque Paramount ME
SBIG STXL11002 (with AO)
L,R,G,B, H-alpha, S-II and O-III filters
ca. 37 hrs, Gain 0/2750, F6.8, 2939mm