Cosmo M8/20
The Lagoon Nebula (M8) and the Trifid Nebula (M20), two stunning jewels of the summer sky, located in the constellation Sagittarius. Here is an LRGB-SHO version, using a Foraxx-inspired palette.
The Lagoon, about 4,100 light-years away, is a vast emission nebula nearly 110 light-years across. It’s a true stellar nursery, where countless massive young stars are born. Their intense radiation ionizes the surrounding gas, making it glow with the deep red hues typical of excited hydrogen. At its heart lies the open cluster NGC 6530, made up of very young stars. Visible to the naked eye from a dark site, the Lagoon is one of the rare nebulae that can be seen without any instrument.
The Trifid Nebula, located about 5,200 light-years away, is more compact, spanning roughly 40 light-years. What makes it unique is its complex structure, combining three types of nebulae: a red emission region, a bluish reflection nebula, and dark dust lanes that split it into three distinct lobes — hence the name Trifid, from the Latin trifidus, meaning “divided into three.” It too harbors star-forming regions, with young stars and protostars nestled within filaments of gas and dust.
