Lagoon Nebula

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Lagoon Nebula
Emission nebula
H II region
VST images the Lagoon Nebula.jpg
M8, the Lagoon Nebula
Observation data: J2000 epoch
Right ascension 18h 03m 37s [1]
Declination −24° 23 12 [1]
Distance4,100 [2]   ly    (1,250  pc)
Apparent magnitude (V)4.6 [3]
Apparent dimensions (V)90 × 40 arcmins [3]
Constellation Sagittarius
Physical characteristics
Radius 55 × 20 ly
Designations Sharpless 25, RCW 146, Gum 72
M8 contains:
     NGC 6523, NGC 6530, [1]
    Hourglass nebula [4]
See also: Lists of nebulae

The Lagoon Nebula (catalogued as Messier 8 or M8, NGC 6523, Sharpless 25, RCW 146, and Gum 72) is a giant interstellar cloud in the constellation Sagittarius. It is classified as an emission nebula and has an H II region.

Contents

The Lagoon Nebula was discovered by Giovanni Hodierna before 1654 [5] and is one of only two star-forming nebulae faintly visible to the eye from mid-northern latitudes. Seen with binoculars, it appears as a distinct cloud-like patch with a definite core. Within the nebula is the open cluster NGC 6530. [6]

Characteristics

Lagoon Nebula in HaRGB M8 Lagoon Nebula - M20 Trifid Nebula.jpg
Lagoon Nebula in HaRGB
Lagoon Nebula in SHO by amateur astronomer Buzz Jumaah from Auckland, New Zealand Lagoon Nebula in Narrowband filters.png
Lagoon Nebula in SHO by amateur astronomer Buzz Jumaah from Auckland, New Zealand

The Lagoon Nebula is estimated to be between 4,000–6,000 light-years away from the Earth. In the sky of Earth, it spans 90' by 40', which translates to an actual dimension of 110 by 50 light years. Like many nebulae, it appears pink in time-exposure color photos but is gray to the eye peering through binoculars or a telescope, human vision having poor color sensitivity at low light levels. The nebula contains a number of Bok globules (dark, collapsing clouds of protostellar material), the most prominent of which have been catalogued by E. E. Barnard as B88, B89 and B296. It also includes a funnel-like or tornado-like structure caused by a hot O-type star that emanates ultraviolet light, heating and ionizing gases on the surface of the nebula. The Lagoon Nebula also contains at its centre a structure known as the Hourglass Nebula (so named by John Herschel), which should not be confused with the better known Engraved Hourglass Nebula in the constellation of Musca. In 2006, four Herbig–Haro objects were detected within the Hourglass, providing direct evidence of active star formation by accretion within it. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ring Nebula</span> Planetary nebula in Lyra

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Messier 100</span> Galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orion Nebula</span> Diffuse nebula in the constellation Orion

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vulpecula</span> Constellation in the northern celestial hemisphere

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trifid Nebula</span> Emission nebula in the constellation Sagittarius

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dumbbell Nebula</span> Planetary nebula in the constellation Vulpecula

The Dumbbell Nebula is a planetary nebula in the constellation Vulpecula, at a distance of about 1360 light-years. It was the first such nebula to be discovered, by Charles Messier in 1764. At its brightness of visual magnitude 7.5 and diameter of about 8 arcminutes, it is easily visible in binoculars and is a popular observing target in amateur telescopes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calabash Nebula</span> Protoplanetary nebula in the constellation of Puppis

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saturn Nebula</span> Planetary nebula in the constellation Aquarius

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Small Sagittarius Star Cloud</span> Star cloud in Sagittarius

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Messier 78</span> Reflection nebula in the constellation of Orion

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Owl Nebula</span> Planetary nebula in the constellation Ursa Major

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 6751</span> Planetary nebula in the constellation Aquila

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Veil Nebula</span> Cloud of heated and ionized gas and dust in the constellation Cygnus

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 2261</span> Reflection nebula in the constellation Monoceros

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">NGC 6530</span> Open cluster in the constellation Sagittarius

NGC 6530 is a young open cluster of stars in the southern constellation of Sagittarius, located some 4,300 light years from the Sun. It exists within the H II region known as the Lagoon Nebula, or Messier 8, and spans an angular diameter of 14.0′. The nebulosity was first discovered by G. B. Hodierna prior to 1654, then re-discovered by J. Flamsteed circa 1680. It was P. Loys who classified it as a cluster in 1746, as he could only resolve stars. The following year, G. Le Gentil determined it was both a nebula and a cluster.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "M 8". SIMBAD . Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg . Retrieved 2006-11-15.
  2. 1 2 Arias, J. I.; Barbá, R. H.; Maíz Apellániz, J.; Morrell, N. I.; Rubio, M. (2006). "The infrared Hourglass cluster in M8". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society . 366 (3): 739–757. arXiv: astro-ph/0506552 . Bibcode:2006MNRAS.366..739A. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2005.09829.x . S2CID   13907667.
  3. 1 2 Stoyan, Ronald (2008). Atlas of the Messier Objects: Highlights of the Deep Sky. Cambridge University Press. p. 88. ISBN   978-0-521-89554-5.
  4. "SIMBAD Astronomical Database". Results for Hourglass Nebula. Retrieved 2006-12-22.
  5. Kronberg, Guy McArthur, Hartmut Frommert, Christine. "Messier Object 8". messier.seds.org. Retrieved 11 April 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. N. F. H. Tothill; Marc Gagné; B. Stecklum; M. A. Kenworthy (2008). "The Lagoon Nebula and its Vicinity". In Bo Reipurth (ed.). Handbook of Star-Forming Regions: Volume 2 The Southern Sky. Astronomical Society of the Pacific. p. 53. ISBN   978-1-58381-671-4.