Nebula
Trifid Nebula
H ii region nebula with cluster · M20 · NGC 6514
H ii region nebula with cluster in Sagittarius
Photo: Wikimedia Commons · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
The Trifid Nebula is an H II region in the north-west of Sagittarius in a star-forming region in the Milky Way's Scutum–Centaurus Arm. It was discovered by Charles Messier on June 5, 1764. Its name means 'three-lobe'. The object is an unusual combination of an open cluster of stars, an emission nebula, a reflection nebula, and a dark nebula. Viewed through a small telescope, the Trifid Nebula is a bright and peculiar object, and is thus a perennial favorite of amateur astronomers.
Description from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
In your sky
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Key facts
Distance
~5,200 light-years
Apparent mag.
+6.3
Apparent size
28′
Best seen with
Naked eye (dark sky)
Catalogue
M20 · NGC 6514
Did you know
- Listed as Messier 20 in the Messier catalogue, also known as NGC 6514.
- Found in the constellation Sagittarius.
- Visible to the naked eye from a dark, moonless site.
