The Trifid Nebula

Located 5500 light-years away towards the constellation of Sagittarius (the Archer), the colourful display of this hydrogen-rich region is a magnet for amateur astronomers. The central reddish colour arises from the emission from vast amounts of hydrogen that are being heated up by young hot stars. Safely nestled close to the centre of the nebula, a stellar nursery accommodates hundreds of baby stars, whose powerful light and winds create havoc in the surrounding cloud.

This eye-catching object also contains a bluish, smoky region that noticeably extends to the upper north end. The dust in this hazy region scatter blue starlight more efficiently than other colours (the same phenomenon that gives us our blue skies).

Dark lanes stretch across the central region and divide the Trifid Nebula into three lobes, giving it its name. These thick dust layers that block visible light are in fact blazing star-forming regions when observed in near-infrared light.

Charles Messier was the first astronomer to notice the charming Trifid Nebula on 5 June 1764, describing it as a star cluster with a misty surrounding. It is entry 20 in his catalogue (Messier 20). The name Trifid was later given to it by the English astronomer John Herschel. The Trifid Nebula can easily be seen in the western part of Sagittarius, even with a small telescope.