Media Information
 
 
 
Collection:
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day Collection
Title:
M20: The Trifid Nebula
Explanation:
Unspeakable beauty and unimaginable bedlam can be found together in the Trifid Nebula [ http://www.seds.org…]. Also known as M20, this photogenic nebula [ http://www.aao.gov.…] is visible with good binoculars in the constellation of Sagittarius [ http://galileo.gmu.…]. The energetic processes of star formation [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] create not only the colors but the chaos. The red-glowing gas results from high-energy light striking interstellar hydrogen gas. The dark dust [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] filaments that lace M20 [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] were created [ http://www.pha.jhu.…] in the atmospheres of cool giant stars [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] and in the debris from supernovae explosions [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…]. Which bright young star [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] lights up the blue reflection nebula [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] is still being investigated. The light from M20 [ http://www.seds.org…] we see today left perhaps 3000 years ago. Light takes about 50 years to cross M20 [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…].
Credit and Copyright:
Anglo-Australian Telescope [ http://www.aao.gov.…] photograph by David Malin
Credit and Copyright:
Anglo-Australian Telescope Board [ http://www.aao.gov.…]
keyword:
emission nebula
keyword:
reflection nebula
facet_where:
Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_what:
Galileo
facet_what:
LACE
facet_what:
Sagittarius
facet_what:
nebula
original url:
http://antwrp.gsfc.…
UID:
SPD-APOD-ap980331

M20: The Trifid Nebula
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