The Omega Nebula, M17 (NGC 6618)
The Omega Nebula, M17 (NGC6618), as seen by the KPNO 0.9-meter telescope in 1993 (true color CCD image). M17 is a bright nebula with lanes of opaque dust; it is also referred to as the Swan Nebula and the Horseshoe Nebula. M17 is about 5700 light-years away in the direction of Sagittarius, and contains about 800 solar masses of material within its 17-light-year diameter. We also have optical pictures from the KPNO Schmidt and the KPNO Mayall 4-meter telescopes, an emission line image from the KPNO Schmidt, revealing physical conditions in the nebula, and an interesting infrared image from the KPNO 2.1-meter telescope.
Credit:Todd Boroson/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA
About the Image
Id: | noao-02202 |
Type: | Observation |
Release date: | June 30, 2020, 9:34 p.m. |
Size: | 2911 x 1972 px |
About the Object
Name: | M17, NGC 6618 |
Distance: | 5500 light years |
Constellation: | Sagittarius |
Category: | Nebulae |
Wallpapers
1024x768
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1280x1024
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1600x1200
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1920x1200
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2048x1536
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Coordinates
Position (RA): | 18 21 25.34 |
Position (Dec): | -16° 10' 38.68" |
Field of view: | 22.01 x 15.03 arcminutes |
Orientation: | North is 0.4° left of vertical |
Colors & filters
Band | Tele-scope |
---|---|
Optical | WIYN 0.9-meter Telescope |