Deep sky · Open cluster in Sagittarius · M 8 · NGC 6523
M 8
Lagoon Nebula
The Lagoon Nebula: a glowing cloud split by a dark lane of dust, visible to the naked eye from a dark site in the Milky Way above the Teapot.
- Type
- Open cluster
- Designations
- M 8 · NGC 6523
- Constellation
- Sagittarius
- Apparent magnitude
- unmeasured — it is a shape, not a light
- Apparent size
- 1.5° × 40′
- Position (J2000)
- RA 18h 03m · Dec −24° 23′
Science
It is a stellar nursery about 4,000 light-years away, with a young cluster inside. Small dark globules within it are clouds collapsing into new stars.