The Lagoon and Trifid Nebulae

A wide-field view taken with the Polarie mount at a focal distance of 214mm, from the Lagoon Nebula (M8 – NGC 6523), the Trifid Nebula (M20 – NGC 6514) and above it, the star cluster M21.

The M20 or NGC 6514, is well known as The Trifid Nebula located in Sagittarius, lieing at a distance of approximately 5000 light years from earth. This object is an unusual combination of an open cluster of stars; an emission nebula (the lower, red/violet portion), a reflection nebula (the upper, blue portion) and a dark nebula (the apparent ‘gaps’ within the emission nebula that cause the trifid appearance; these are also designated Barnard 85). Left above M8 is the Star cluster M21. Below the Trifid nebula is the The Lagoon Nebula (catalogued as Messier 8 or M8, and as NGC 6523) is a giant interstellar cloud also in the constellation Sagittarius. It is classified as an emission nebula and as an H II region. The Lagoon Nebula is estimated to be between 4,000-6,000 light years from the Earth.

Canon 60Da; Lens: 214mm at F/5; ISO2500; Exp. 69secs. Sum of 5 images in Maxim DL taken in 16/07/2013 at 2h00 AM.