Dust and Gas of the NGC 6523
The Lagoon Nebula

Computerized sleight of hand allows us to hide the stars normally seen here. The result offers a fresh perspective of the Lagoon Nebula's tempestuous nature. Agitated clouds of molecular hydrogen glow red while dust created by super nova explosions surges through dark rivers and coalesces into dense, light-year sized globules where the next generation of stars and their constituency of planets are taking shape. Blue hues reflect off dust propelled at hyper-sonic speeds by fierce radiation expelled from newly formed suns.