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摘要

This star-forming region low in Sagittarius is an emission nebula wherein hot newborn stars are heating the surrounding gas, causing the nebula to glow. It is close to, and perhaps a part of, the Eagle Nebula(M16) that is two degrees to the north. Found 10 degrees north of the starlambda (λ) Sagitarii, the Swan Nebula visually appears as a fuzzy `S' shape,somewhat akin to a swan and its loping neck. There's even a cluster of about 35stars within the nebula, baby stars that have just emerged from their gaseouswomb, although these are faint - only two reach tenth magnitude, as thenebula's dust dims their light. It is thought that there could be up to 10,000more stars hidden away inside the dusty realm of the nebula. The Swan Nebulais located 5,900 light years away. Image: David Osborne.