The Lagoon Nebula (M8) – Widefield

Overview

This one of the Lagoon Nebula (M8) was also captured using the Askar and Antila narrowband filters. I’ve only tried to go after this target once before using the 127 back in 2020 and only managed to capture Ha and O3 (I was still learning how to use a mono camera back then), but this time, I got to capture M8 in all its glorious beauty.

The Lagoon Nebula (Messier 8, M8) is a massive, bright emission nebula located in the constellation Sagittarius, approximately 4,100 light-years from Earth. Spanning over 110 light-years, it is one of the largest star-forming regions visible in the night sky. M8 glows with a characteristic reddish hue, caused by ionized hydrogen gas illuminated by intense ultraviolet radiation from hot, young stars in its core.

A prominent feature of the nebula is the Hourglass Nebula, a region of particularly intense star formation. Dark lanes of interstellar dust intersect the nebula, adding striking visual contrast. Easily visible with binoculars or small telescopes, the Lagoon Nebula is a popular target for amateur and professional astronomers, offering a stunning view of our galaxy’s dynamic stellar nurseries.