Exposures: 90 min Lum; 30 min RGB each for a total of 3 hrs
FOV = 24 x 20 arc minutes
M20 is an HII region. Also known as the Trifid nebula because of the appearance of its three lobes. The object is an unusual combination of an open cluster, an emission nebula (the lower, red portion), a reflection nebula (the upper, blue portion) and a dark nebula (the apparent 'gaps' within the emission nebula that cause the trifid appearance.
In 2005,Using infrared optics, NASA's Spitzer telescope discovered 30 embryonic stars and 120 newborn stars.
Located 5200 light years away
Cropped and reduced 60% from original
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