Template:POTD/2016-02-29
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Picture of the day
The
Lagoon Nebula
is a giant
interstellar cloud
in the
constellation
Sagittarius
. It is classified as an
emission nebula
and as a
H II region
. Discovered by
Giovanni Hodierna
before 1654, it is one of only two star-forming
nebulae
faintly visible to the naked eye from mid-northern latitudes. Seen with
binoculars
, it appears as a distinct
oval
cloudlike patch with a definite core. In the foreground is the
open cluster
NGC 6530
.
Photograph:
ESO
/
VPHAS+
team
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