This sequence of Hubble Space Telescope views represents an imagined three-dimensional flight across the core of the Lagoon Nebula, a rich star-birth region located in the constellation Sagittarius in the direction of our Milky Way galaxy's central bulge. The viewer sees bright, glowing ridges of gas in ionization fronts, as well as dark, dusty clouds silhouetted against a colorful background of luminous gas that has been heated by a young, massive star. These features are some of the striking structures within this vibrant region where new stars and planets are born.

NASA, ESA, and D. Player, J. DePasquale, G. Bacon, F. Summers, and Z. Levay (STScI)

Publication: April 19, 2018