The clover leaf-shaped Trifid Nebula, designated as M20 and NCG 6514 can be seen to have four separate lobes separated by dust lanes. The red color is due to glowing hydrogen gas. The greenish blue nebula below shines due to reflected light from nearby stars.
Separation between the bright stars at the centers of red and blue regions is 7'45" which corresponds to about 10 light years. The Trifid Nebula is 5,000 light years from Earth.
July 3, 2002, 10:00 pm
Onizuka Visitor Information Station, Mauna Kea, Hawaii.
Takahashi FSQ-106, f/5
Luminance 155s, Red 360s, Green 120s, Blue 382s