恒星工厂M17

2023年9月8日

Star Factory Messier 17
Image Credit & Copyright: Kim Quick, Terry Hancock, and Tom Masterson (Grand Mesa Observatory)

Explanation: Sculpted by stellar winds and radiation, the star factory known as Messier 17 lies some 5,500 light-years away in the nebula-rich constellation Sagittarius. At that distance, this 1/3 degree wide field of view spans over 30 light-years. The sharp composite, color image highlights faint details of the region’s gas and dust clouds against a backdrop of central Milky Way stars. Stellar winds and energetic light from hot, massive stars formed from M17’s stock of cosmic gas and dust have slowly carved away at the remaining interstellar material, producing the cavernous appearance and undulating shapes. M17 is also known as the Omega Nebula or the Swan Nebula.

Tomorrow’s picture: large comet

恒星工厂M17
影像提供与版权: Kim Quick, Terry Hancock, and Tom Masterson (Grand Mesa Observatory)

说明: M17这座由恒星风和辐射所雕塑出来的恒星工厂，位于星云密布的人马座内，离我们约有5,500光年远。以这个距离来换算，上面这幅张角3分之1度的宽场影像，大约涵盖了30多光年的区域。这幅清晰的组合彩色影像，以银河系中心的繁星为背景，突显了这个天区的云气和尘埃之细致结构。M17内由宇宙云气和尘埃聚成的炽热大质量恒星，所发出的恒星风和高能辐射，缓缓侵蚀了孑遗的星际物质，形成了影像中的空穴状外观和波浪状的云脊。M17亦有奥米茄星云或天鹅星云之称。

明日的图片: large comet