The Omega Nebula, M17

The Omega Nebula, Messier object 17 (M17), NGC 6618, in the constellation Sagittarius, as seen by the Kitt Peak 4-meter Mayall telescope in 1973. This bright nebula, criss-crossed by clouds and lanes of opaque dust and gas, is also known as the Swan Nebula and the Horseshoe Nebula. M17 is estimated to contain over 800 times as much material as the Sun within its 17 light-year diameter. At a distance of 5700 light-years, M17 is also a source of radio noise. North is at the top. We also have an interesting infrared image, a newer 0.9-meter optical image, and a deeper Schmidt image.