Trifid (M20)

Object Type: Emission Nebula
Image 1 - AP 5" Refractor, 255 min; Image 2 - Orion 10" Newtonian, 20 min; Image 3 - C-9.25" SCT, 72 min.

The Trifid Nebula (Messier 20, NGC 6514) is a striking star-forming region in Sagittarius, about 4,100 light-years away, whose name means 'divided into three lobes.' It is an unusual combination of a red emission nebula, a blue reflection nebula, a dark nebula (the dust lanes, Barnard 85, that split it into three), and a young open cluster, all in one object. It is a perennial favorite of amateur astronomers for its color and detail.