Messier 20, the Trifid Nebula, is a stunningly beautiful deep-sky object consisting of red emission, blue reflection, and dark nebulosity. The dark nebula which forms the three prominent dust lanes is Barnard 85.

M20 is located in the constellation of Sagittarius a degree and a half north-northwest from M8, the Lagoon Nebula.

The Trifid is only 300,000 years old and is a star forming region. A hot young star in the center illuminates the nebula.

M20 lies 9,000 light-years away, and subtends an apparent angle of 20 arcminutes, which corresponds to a true size of 30 light-years in space. It shines at magnitude 6.3.

Charles Messier discovered M20 on June 5, 1764.

North is to the top in the above image.

M20 Catalogs: M20, NGC 6514 Common Name: Trifid Nebula Object Type: Emission / Reflection Nebula Magnitude: 6.3v Size: 20' Constellation: Sagittarius Image Field Centered At: RA: 18h 02m 26s Dec: -22° 56' 56"