M17: A Hubble Close Up
Explanation:
Sculpted by stellar winds and radiation, these fantastic, undulating
shapes lie within the
stellar
nursery known
as M17,
the Omega Nebula, some 5,500 light-years away in the
nebula-rich constellation Sagittarius.
The
lumpy features
in the dense cold gas and dust are illuminated
by stars off the upper right of the image and may themselves
represent sites of future star formation.
Colors in the fog of surrounding hotter material indicate
M17's
chemical make up.
The predominately green glow corresponds to abundant hydrogen,
with trace sulfur and oxygen atoms contributing red and blue hues.
The picture spans about 3 light-years and was
released
to celebrate
the thirteenth year of the
Hubble Space Telescope's
cosmic voyage of exploration.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
