Omega Nebula and Eagle Nebula
The Omega Nebula, also referred to as the Swan Nebula or M17, is simply barely seen to the unaided eye on a dark, moonless night time. To get look, it’s finest to make use of binoculars or a telescope with low-power magnification. The Omega Nebula could be very close to one other outstanding nebula, generally known as M16 or the Eagle Nebula. M16 is the house of the well-known Pillars of Creation. Within the sky, M16 and M17 seem as two closely-knit patches of haze. They match readily throughout the similar binocular discipline of view.
Yow will discover them throughout the hazy band of our Milky Way galaxy that crosses the sky on a northern summer time night. This area of the sky is crowded with deep-sky objects, and these two nebulae are among the many better of the bunch!
The best way to see the Omega Nebula
If you wish to see M17 and lots of different deep-sky objects, be taught to acknowledge the constellation Sagittarius the Archer, with its well-known Teapot asterism. The Teapot is situated within the path of the star-rich middle of our Milky Way galaxy. So there are various lovely star clusters and nebulae on this a part of the sky. It’s a straightforward star-hop from the Teapot to M17 and its close by companion on the sky’s dome, M16.
From the Teapot, draw an imaginary line from the star Kaus Australis (also referred to as Epsilon Sagittarii) and go to the left of the star Kaus Media (or Delta Sagittarii) to find M16 and M17. These two nebulae are shut collectively and situated about one fist-width above the Teapot.
As seen from the Northern Hemisphere, M16 and M17 are summertime objects. They’re highest up after they’re due south on late August evenings. They usually’re wintertime objects within the Southern Hemisphere, the place they’re nearer to being overhead.
The nebula of many names
Objects in astronomy usually have a couple of title. They get their names from being noticed and studied by varied astronomers through the years. Beginner astronomers are likely to name deep-sky objects by their “M” names, or Messier names. However all of those objects have correct names as nicely. M17, particularly, has no less than 5 correct names: the Omega Nebula, Horseshoe Nebula, Checkmark Nebula, Swan Nebula, and Lobster Nebula. Learn where these names came from here.
The science of M17
The Omega Nebula is an unlimited interstellar cloud of dust and gasoline giving beginning to younger, scorching stars. It spans some 15 light-years in diameter, with a mass of round 800 solar lots. And it’s half of a bigger cloud, roughly 40 light-years in diameter with a mass of 30,000 solar lots.
Astronomers don’t know the space to M17 with precision. However they estimate that it’s round 5,000 light-years away. For comparability, the extra sensible Orion Nebula is a few 1,300 light-years distant. Whereas the Orion Nebula resides throughout the Milky Way’s Orion spiral arm (similar to our solar system), once you take a look at M17 or M16 you’re seeing wonders from our galaxy’s subsequent arm inward: the Sagittarius arm.
Competing nebulae
There are numerous wonderful deep-sky objects on this a part of the night time sky. Two of probably the most well-known patches of nebulosity – M8 and M20 – additionally vie to your consideration from the Sagittarius arm. And like M16 and M17, they couple up throughout the similar binocular discipline. Choose for your self which pair of stellar nurseries is most spectacular!
Backside line: Barely seen to the unaided eye on a darkish night time, the star-forming area generally known as the Omega Nebula is finest seen by means of binoculars, or low energy in a telescope.
