Lagoon Nebula

The Lagoon Nebula, also known as Messier 8 (NGC 6523), is a large star-forming region faintly visible to the eye. The center dark lane thru the middle of the nebula gives it the name "Lagoon" and the nebula covers an area the size of three full moons. The dark globules are collapsing clouds of proto-stellar material... stars forming. It is located about 4100 light years from earth in the constellation of Sagittarius.