SUNSET: 
0
Photographer:
KuriousGeorge
Location of Photo:
Julian, CA
Date/Time of photo:
July 8-10, 2021
Equipment:
Planewave CDK24, L600.
Description:
The Lagoon Nebula is estimated to be between 4,000-6,000 light-years away from Earth. In the sky it spans 90' by 40', which translates to an actual dimension of 110 by 50 light years. The nebula contains a number of Bok globules (dark, collapsing clouds of protostellar material). It also includes a funnel-like or tornado-like structure caused by a hot O-type star that emanates ultraviolet light, heating and ionizing gases on the surface of the nebula. The Lagoon Nebula also contains at its center a structure known as the Hourglass Nebula (so named by John Herschel). In 2006 the first four Herbig–Haro objects were detected within the Hourglass, also including HH 870. This provides the first direct evidence of active star formation by accretion within it.
