Star Factory Messier 17
Explanation:
Sculpted by stellar winds and radiation,
the star factory known as
Messier 17
lies some 5,500 light-years away in the nebula-rich constellation
Sagittarius.
At that distance, this 1/3 degree wide field of view spans over
30 light-years.
The sharp composite,
color image, highlights faint details of the region's gas and dust clouds
against a backdrop of central
Milky Way stars.
Stellar winds and energetic light
from hot, massive stars formed from
M17 stock of cosmic gas and dust have slowly carved away at the
remaining interstellar material
producing the cavernous appearance and
undulating shapes.
M17 is also
known as the Omega Nebula or the Swan Nebula.
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.
