My Astrophotography – Messier 17 (Swan Nebula)

Messier 17 (Swan / Omega Nebula)

  • M17 (Swan Nebula) is one of the brightest and most massive star-forming regions in the Milky Way.
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  • People also call it the Horseshoe Nebula, Lobster Nebula, and Checkmark Nebula because of its distinct shape.
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  • Ultraviolet light from hot young stars inside the gas cloud causes the hydrogen to glow red.
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  • Region in the summer Milky Way.

  • Object Name
    M17

  • Object Type
    Diffuse Emission Nebula

  • Constellation
    Sagittarius

  • Magnitude
    +7.0

  • Distance
    5,500 light-years

  • Age
    1 million years

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Equipment

Telescope:

Mount:

Accessories:

Sky-Watcher Esprint 80ED Triplet

Sky-Watcher AZ-EQ6 GT

ZWO ASIair Plus / PixInsight

Camera:

Guiding:

Filter:

ZWO ASI585MC Pro cooling

ZWO ASI1200MM

2″ Optolong eXtreme

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Bortle Scale: Kirby Farm, Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire (Bortle: 4.6)
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Integration

  • Date:
    Friday 11th September 2026
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  • Time:
    23:45 / 11.45 pm (BST)
  • Moonlit:
    Waxing Crescent 0.8 days old
    Magnitude: -5
    Moonlit: 1%
  • Total:
    180’s x 13 subs = 39 minutes

    (After 39 minutes M17 disappeared behind the trees.)

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Constellation :- Sagittarius (The Archer)

Object :-

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Object :-

Other name :-
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Type :-

Magnitude :–

Distance :-

Constellation :-

Right Ascension :-

Declination :-

Object :-

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M17

NGC 6618 / Swan Nebula / Omega Nebula /
Horseshoe Nebula / Lobster Nebula

Diffuse Emission Nebula

+7.0

5,500 light years / 15 light years in diameter.

Sgr (Sagittarius / The Archer)

18h 20m 07s

-16° 11′ 01″

Enlarge on click the map.

(Click the map above for a large view.)

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Abbreviation:  Sgr (Sagittarius)
English Name:  The Archer
Genitive:  Rukbat
Hemisphere: Southern Hemisphere   (Parts visible from the UK.)
Location: Between the constellations of Capricornus and Scorpius.
Visible between latitudes:  +55 and -90 degrees
Best season: Summer
Seen in three seasons: Spring, Summer and Autumn
Best seen in:  July (map) and August (map) and September (map)
Seen between: May and early September
Right Ascension (RA): 19 hour
Declination (DEC): -25 degrees
Area (square degrees):  867 (14th)

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Asterism Patterns


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