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Credit & Copyright: Subaru
Telescope
(NAOJ),
Hubble Space
Telescope,
Color data: Wolfgang Promper, Processing: Robert Gendler
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 degree wide field of view spans
almost 100 light-years.
The sharp,
composite, color image
utilizing data from space and ground based telescopes,
follows 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's 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.
Color data: Wolfgang Promper, Processing: Robert Gendler
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NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Omega nebula - star formation
Publications with words: Omega nebula - star formation
See also: