Nebula
Omega Nebula
H ii region nebula with cluster · M17 · NGC 6618
H ii region nebula with cluster in Sagittarius
Photo: ESO · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
The Omega Nebula is an H II region in the constellation Sagittarius. It was discovered by Philippe Loys de Chéseaux in 1745. Charles Messier catalogued it in 1764. It is by some of the richest starfields of the Milky Way, figuring in the northern two-thirds of Sagittarius. This feature is also known as the Swan Nebula, Checkmark Nebula, Lobster Nebula, and the Horseshoe Nebula, and catalogued as Messier 17 or M17 or NGC 6618.
Description from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
In your sky
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Key facts
Distance
~5,000–6,000 light-years
Apparent mag.
+6
Apparent size
11′
Best seen with
Naked eye (dark sky)
Catalogue
M17 · NGC 6618
Did you know
- Listed as Messier 17 in the Messier catalogue, also known as NGC 6618.
- Found in the constellation Sagittarius.
- Visible to the naked eye from a dark, moonless site.
