RASC Calgary Centre

The Trifid Nebula (M20) is one of the most striking regions in the summer Milky Way.

Located in Sagittarius, it’s a rare object that combines three different types of nebula in a single field: a glowing emission nebula, a blue reflection nebula, and dark lanes of dust that appear to split it into three distinct sections—hence the name “Trifid.”

The bright pink regions are powered by young, hot stars energizing surrounding hydrogen gas, while nearby starlight reflects off dust to create the soft blue areas.

It sits in a rich part of the sky filled with deep-sky objects, just above the direction of the Milky Way’s core.

📷 Scott Johnstone

Summer Constellations: The Milky Way stretches overhead, filled with clusters and nebulae.

✨ Aquila soars through the summer Milky Way, home to the Phantom Streak Nebula (Sh2-71) and the Wild Duck Cluster (M11).
✨ Sagittarius points toward the galactic centre, look for the Lagoon (M8), Trifid (M20), and Swan (M17) Nebulae.
✨ Lyra twinkles with Vega and the famous Ring Nebula (M57).
✨ Cygnus glides across a rich Milky Way field around Deneb, featuring the North America Nebula.
✨ Scorpius glows low in the south with red Antares and the Butterfly Cluster (M6).

What’s your go-to target when the Milky Way is overhead?