The Deep Lagoon
Explanation:
Ridges of glowing interstellar gas and dark dust clouds
inhabit the
turbulent, cosmic depths of the Lagoon Nebula.
Also known as M8, The bright star forming region is about
5,000 light-years distant.
But it still makes for a popular stop on
telescopic tours of
the constellation Sagittarius, toward the center
of our Milky Way Galaxy.
Dominated by the telltale red emission of ionized hydrogen atoms
recombining with stripped electrons,
this
stunning, deep view of the
Lagoon's central reaches is about 40 light-years across.
Near the center of the frame, the bright hourglass
shape is gas ionized and sculpted by energetic radiation
and extreme stellar winds from a
massive young star.
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.
