Huge View of Omega Nebula Made Available by ESO

Astronomers with the European Southern Observatory (ESO) recently used the Very Large Telescope (VLT) to image the Omega Nebula, an object that goes by very many names. Some of these include the Swan Nebula, the Horseshoe Nebula, the Lobster Nebula, Messier 17 (M17) and NGC 6618.

What is interesting about this particular view is that it is the sharpest of its type ever taken from the ground. More precise images are available, but all of them were taken by space telescopes such as Hubble, which do not have to subject themselves to the rigors of Earth's atmosphere.

Astronomers used the FORS (FOcal Reducer and Spectrograph) instrument on the VLT to collect the new image. The Omega Nebula lies about 6,500 light-years away, in the direction of the Sagittarius constellation. The level of resolve the VLT has is remarkable as always.

A clearer view of the nebula is available with this ESO press release.