noirlab_noao-noao-m17-09 September 18th, 2020
Credit: T.A. Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage) and WIYN
This image was obtained with the wide-field view of the Mosaic camera on the WIYN 0.9-meter Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory. M17, also informally known as the omega nebula, the lobster nebula and the swan nebula (among other names), is one of the largest and brightest star-forming regions inside our galaxy. Its size and brightness make it one of the first nebulae to be discovered, which occurred in 1745. The hydrogen gas that gives it its distinctive red color is energized by hot, massive blue stars embedded in the nebula. The image was generated with observations in the Hydrogen-alpha (orange), Oxygen [OIII] (green) and Sulfur [SII] (blue) filters. In this image, North is left, East is down.
Provider: NOIRLab
Image Source: https://noirlab.edu/public/images/noao-noao-m17-09/
Curator: NSF's NOIRLab, Tucson, AZ, USA
Image Use Policy: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Detailed color mapping information coming soon...
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