Zoom into the depths of the Trifid Nebula, and discover a cosmic landscaped marked with veins of dark nebulosity, blue clouds of reflective interstellar dust, and pink fields of ionized hydrogen, illuminated by the combined radiance of over 3000 hot, young stars. A perennial favorite for amateur and professional astronomers alike, the Trifid, or Messier 20, lies within the Scutum-Centaurus arm of our Milky Way galaxy, which is why the colorful nebula is surrounded by millions of stellar lights. However, few stars shine brighter than the one at the center of Messier 20, which is over 20 times more massive than the Sun and shines more than 314,000 times brighter!
Acquisition Date: June 2-3, 2024
Acquisition Site: Kaibab Lodge, AZ
Equipment: Takahashi TOA-130NFB, ASI2600MC, Astro-Physics 1200GTO, Astrodon MOAG
Subframes: 115 x 180s
Software: PixInsight, Apple Photos, Sequence Generator Pro, PHD2, APCC, Starry Night, SharpCap