The Trifid Nebula (Messier 20 or M20), located in the north-west of the Sagittarius constellation within our Milky Way’s Scutum–Centaurus Arm, is a notable H II region around 4,100 light-years from Earth that was discovered by Charles Messier in 1764. Its “three-lobe” appearance comes from a blend of emission (reddish-pink), reflection (blue), and dark nebulae, as well as an open cluster of ~3,100 young stars centred around the massive O-type star HD 164492A, which has over 20 solar masses. Observations have revealed active star formation within dense clouds, featuring stellar jets and evaporating gaseous globules, and infrared studies have identified dozens of embryonic and newborn stars that are not visible in optical wavelengths. The Trifid Nebula’s diverse structure and vivid appearance make it a popular target for astronomical observation.

The above photo is a stacked image of 408 images taken with 10-second exposures each. The one on the right side is slightly processed with GIMP.