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Credit & Copyright: Terry Hancock
(Down Under Observatory)
Explanation:
This rich starscape spans nearly 7 degrees on the sky, toward the
Sagittarius
spiral arm and the center of our Milky Way galaxy.
A telescopic mosaic, it features well-known
bright nebulae and star clusters
cataloged by
18th century cosmic tourist Charles Messier.
Still popular
stops
for skygazers M16, the Eagle (far right),
and M17, the Swan (near center) nebulae are the brightest star-forming
emission regions.
With wingspans
of 100 light-years or so, they shine with the
telltale reddish glow of hydrogen atoms from
over 5,000 light-years away.
Colorful open star
cluster M25 near the upper left edge of the
scene is closer, a mere 2,000 light-years distant and about 20 light-years
across.
M24, also known as the
Sagittarius Star
Cloud,
crowds in just left of center along the bottom of the frame,
fainter and more distant Milky Way stars seen through a narrow window in
obscuring fields of interstellar dust.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
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: Sagittarius - Milky Way
Publications with words: Sagittarius - Milky Way
See also:
- APOD: 2024 November 24 Á Journey to the Center of the Galaxy
- APOD: 2024 November 5 Á Milky Way over Easter Island
- APOD: 2024 August 4 Á Gaia: Here Comes the Sun
- APOD: 2024 July 29 Á Milky Way over Uluru
- Messier 24: Sagittarius Star Cloud
- APOD: 2024 May 29 Á Stairway to the Milky Way
- APOD: 2023 December 12 Á Aurora and Milky Way over Norway