Astronomy Picture of the Day
    


The Lagoon Nebula in Gas, Dust, and Stars
<< Yesterday 22.07.2009 Tomorrow >>
The Lagoon Nebula in Gas, Dust, and Stars
Credit & Copyright: Florencio Rodil
Explanation: Stars are battling gas and dust in the Lagoon Nebula but the photographers are winning. Also known as M8, this photogenic nebula is visible even without binoculars towards the constellation of Sagittarius. The energetic processes of star formation create not only the colors but the chaos. The red-glowing gas, shown on the above left in re-assigned colors, results from high-energy starlight striking interstellar hydrogen gas. The Trifid nebula is visible on the far right. The dark dust filaments that lace M8 were created in the atmospheres of cool giant stars and in the debris from supernovae explosions. The light from M8 we see today left about 5,000 years ago. Light takes about 50 years to cross this section of M8.


January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
 < July 2009  >
Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su


12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031

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.

Based on Astronomy Picture Of the Day

Publications with keywords: M 8 - Lagoon Nebula - star formation
Publications with words: M 8 - Lagoon Nebula - star formation
See also:
All publications on this topic >>