Hillary Mathis, N.A.Sharp, REU program/NOAO/AURA/NSF
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The Omega Nebula, also known as M17 or NGC6618, is in the constellation Sagittarius. It is a bright emission nebula whose gas and dust is excited by young stars. There are lanes of opaque dust, too.

M17 is also referred to as the Swan Nebula and the Horseshoe Nebula. Some call it the Checkmark Nebula, and a few see it as the Lobster Nebula. Take your pick.

This image was created from ten observations made at the Burrell Schmidt telescope, which is owned by the Warner and Swasey Observatory of the Case Western Reserve University and situated on Kitt Peak in southwest Arizona. The observations were made in May 1995 as part of a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program operated at the Kitt Peak National Observatory and supported by the National Science Foundation. [More Kitt Peak photos]

-- Robert Roy Britt

This is the inagural installment of SPACE.com's Image of the Day. Return each weekday for another cool space photo.

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