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M17 is also known as the Omega Nebula, the Swan Nebula or even the Horseshoe Nebula. The first one is the most popular name. It is a very bright emission nebula discovered independently (within some weeks) during spring 1746, by Philippe Loys de Chéseaux and Charles Messier. Located in Sagittarius, it is, visually, a neighbor of another conspicuous nebula, M16, the Eagle Nebula. More than 30 massive stars are embedded in the nebula, ionizing it with ultraviolet light and provoking its hydrogen-red glow. This nebula is an active star forming region.
Additional Information
Object
Name(s): M 17, NGC 6618, the Omega Nebula
Type: Emission Nebula
RA: 18h 20m 47s
Dec: -16º 10’ 55”
Constellation: Sagittarius
Size (arcmin): 46×37
Magnitude: +6
Distance: 5,000 ly
Image
Date: 2013-01-31
Location: Corbera de Llobregat, Barcelona, Catalonia
Size (arcmin): 34×26
Telescope: Celestron 11” HD f/10
Camera: FLI ML6303 (3072x2048pix)
Guiding: Orion SSAG/Nikkor 500mm f/8
Processing: CCDStack, Photoshop CC 2016