M8 & M20 (Lagoon and Trifid Nebulae)

Constellation: Sagittarius

Distance: 5800 light years (M8); 5500-9000 light years (M20).

The Lagoon Nebula (M8, to the right in the above image) gets its name from the dark dust lane that divides it like a black lagoon. It is a bright H II emission nebula excited by massive O type stars in the star cluster contained within (NGC 6530).

The Trifid Nebula consists of an H II emission nebula measuring 30 light years across and excited by an O type star at its center. It gets its name from the trilobed appearance. The adjacent blue reflection nebula is illuminated by a separate F type supergiant star. The Trifid is an incubator of very early stars and protostars. (Information from A Year in the Life of the Universe by Robert Gendler, and The 100 Best Astrophotography Targets by Ruben Kier).