Trifid Nebula Glows in Stunning Photo By Amateur Astronomer

Trifid Nebula Unnikrishnan — Astrophotographer Navaneeth Unnikrishnan captured the Trifid Nebula from Karnataka, India. (Image credit: Navaneeth Unnikrishnan)

This stunning image of the Trifid Nebula was taken from Karnataka, India.

Astrophotographer Navaneeth Unnikrishnan captured the star factory using a DSLR camera and tracking mounted telescopes.

The Trifid Nebula (Messier 20 or NGC 6514) is a combination of emission nebula (the red area) and reflection nebula (the blue area) and dark nebula. [What Do You See? Strange Nebula Shapes (Photos)]

The Trifid Nebula is located about 5,200 light-years from Earth. A light-year is the distance light travels in one year, or about 6 trillion miles (10 trillion kilometers). The Trifid takes its name from the dark dust bands that trisect its glowing heart. Astronomer Charles Messier first observed the Trifid Nebula in June 1764. Observations made about 60 years later revealed the dividing bands.

Unnikrishnan used a 11'' Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope, Canon 20D (Modified) with ISO 400 to combine 15 darks, 15 offset images.

To see more amazing night sky photos submitted by Space.com readers, visit our astrophotography archive.

Editor's note: If you have an amazing night sky photo you'd like to share for a possible story or image gallery, please contact managing editor Tariq Malik at spacephotos@space.com.

Follow Space.com on Twitter @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook & Google+. Original article on Space.com.

Nina Sen is a freelance writer and producer who covered night sky photography and astronomy for Space.com. She began writing and producing content for Space.com in 2011 with a focus on story and image production, as well as amazing space photos captured by NASA telescopes and other missions. Her work also includes coverage of amazing images by astrophotographers that showcase the night sky's beauty.