Subject

Eagle Nebula

M16 4 results

Sagittarius/Serpens Border

Eagle Nebula

Date 2026-06-27Emission NebulaConstellation Serpens CaudaParsed 17h approximate154.5h integrationFilter mixedS50_85b661b12949 x 1966

Sagittarius/Serpens Border

Eagle Nebula

Date 2026-03-21Emission NebulaConstellation Serpens CaudaParsed 9.55hFilter mixed1074 x 1665

Sagittarius/Serpens Border

Eagle Nebula

Date 2026-03-14Emission NebulaConstellation Serpens CaudaParsed 7.27hFilter mixed894 x 1531

Sagittarius/Serpens Border

Eagle Nebula

Date 2026-03-07Emission NebulaConstellation Serpens CaudaParsed 1.85h1.9h integrationFilter mixedS50_85b661b1998 x 1640

Subject

Eagle Nebula, Swan Nebula

M16 M17 3 results

Sagittarius/Serpens Border

Eagle Nebula, Swan Nebula

Date 2026-05-23Emission NebulaConstellation Serpens Cauda / SagittariusParsed 14h approximate4640 x 1237

Sagittarius/Serpens Border

Eagle Nebula, Swan Nebula

Date 2026-04-24Emission NebulaConstellation Serpens Cauda / SagittariusParsed 9.78h approximateFilter mixed3366 x 1770

Sagittarius/Serpens Border

Eagle Nebula, Swan Nebula

Date 2026-04-23Emission NebulaConstellation Serpens Cauda / SagittariusParsed 7.73h approximateFilter mixed2933 x 1598

Subject

Lagoon Nebula, Trifid Nebula, Webbs Cross

M8 M20 M21 3 results

Sagittarius/Serpens Border

Lagoon Nebula, Trifid Nebula, Webbs Cross

Date 2026-05-06Emission Nebula / Dark Nebula / Open ClusterConstellation SagittariusParsed 5.2h3100 x 1744

Sagittarius/Serpens Border

Lagoon Nebula, Trifid Nebula, Webbs Cross

Date 2026-05-23Emission Nebula / Dark Nebula / Open ClusterConstellation SagittariusParsed 3.73h3.8h integrationFilter mixedS30 Pro_82d6b3103483 x 1959

Companion notes

Lagoon Nebula + Trifid Nebula

Two very different nebulae sharing the same region of sky. The Lagoon Nebula is a massive star-forming region filled with glowing hydrogen gas and dense dust lanes, while the Trifid combines emission, reflection, and dark dust in a single object — one of the few regions where all three are so clearly visible together. The red comes from hydrogen emission, the blue from reflected starlight, and the dark lanes are dense dust cutting through the center — giving the nebula its distinctive “three-lobed” structure. Also included in this frame is Webb’s Cross, M21- a simple alignment of stars that just happens to form a recognizable pattern from our point of view.

Capturing all of that together calls for a broadband filter like the L-Pro, which passes key emission lines and starlight while blocking much of the surrounding light pollution — improving signal-to-noise and letting more detail come through in less total integration time. This was captured in about 75 minutes from my backyard in New Jersey (Bortle ~4–5), with the moon up — a good example of what’s still possible under less-than-ideal conditions with the right target and filter choice.

Sagittarius/Serpens Border

Lagoon Nebula, Trifid Nebula, Webbs Cross

Date 2026-05-06Emission Nebula / Dark Nebula / Open ClusterConstellation SagittariusParsed 5.2h5.2h integrationFilter mixedS30 Pro_82d6b3104344 x 2550

Subject

Nest Nebula, Eagle Nebula, Swan Nebula

M16 M17 2 results

Panorama / Sagittarius/Serpens Border

Nest Nebula, Eagle Nebula, Swan Nebula

Date 2026-06-13Emission NebulaConstellation Serpens / Serpens Cauda / SagittariusParsed 23h approximateFilter mixed2321 x 7454

Panorama / Sagittarius/Serpens Border

Nest Nebula, Eagle Nebula, Swan Nebula

Date 2026-05-31Emission NebulaConstellation Serpens / Serpens Cauda / SagittariusParsed 23h approximate82.5h integrationFilter mixedS30 Pro_82d6b3107454 x 2321

Subject

Trifid Nebula, Webbs Cross

M20 M21 2 results

Sagittarius/Serpens Border

Trifid Nebula, Webbs Cross

Date 2026-04-25Dark Nebula / Open ClusterConstellation SagittariusParsed 1.25h1.3h integrationFilter mixedS50_85b661b11253 x 1711

Sagittarius/Serpens Border

Trifid Nebula, Webbs Cross

Date 2026-04-25Dark Nebula / Open ClusterConstellation SagittariusParsed 1.25h1.3h integrationFilter mixedS50_85b661b11253 x 1711

Companion notes

Trifid Nebula and Webb’s Cross

Not all patterns in the night sky come from the same place.

The Trifid Nebula is shaped by physics; a complex region where gas and dust interact, forming new stars while being carved apart by radiation.

The glowing red comes from hydrogen gas, the blue from reflected starlight, and the dark lanes are dense dust cutting through the center, giving it its distinctive “three-lobed” appearance.

Nearby, Webb’s Cross is something entirely different; a simple alignment of stars that just happens to form a recognizable pattern from our point of view.

One is a real physical structure evolving over millions of years. The other is a coincidence of perspective… a reminder that not everything we see in the sky is actually connected.

Captured from my backyard in New Jersey (Bortle 5).

Capture Details:

Seestar S50
Optolong L-eXtreme

Subject

Lagoon Nebula

M8 1 result

Sagittarius/Serpens Border

Lagoon Nebula

Date 2026-06-19Emission NebulaConstellation SagittariusParsed 4.5h approximateFilter mixedS30 Pro_82d6b3103612 x 2583

Subject

Lagoon nebula, Trifid nebula, webbs cross

M8 M20 M21 1 result

Sagittarius/Serpens Border

Lagoon nebula, Trifid nebula, webbs cross

Date 2026-06-21Emission Nebula / Dark Nebula / Open ClusterConstellation SagittariusParsed 24h approximate17.6h integrationFilter mixedS30 Pro_82d6b3106376 x 3587

Subject

Messier 26 (M26)

M26 1 result

Sagittarius/Serpens Border

Messier 26 (M26)

Date 2026-07-25Open ClusterConstellation ScutumParsed 10m10m integrationFilter IRCUTS50_85b661b11372 x 1372

Subject

Nest Eagle Swan

M16 M17 1 result

Sagittarius/Serpens Border

Nest Eagle Swan

Date 2026-06-09Emission NebulaConstellation Serpens / Serpens Cauda / SagittariusParsed 23h approximate82.5h integrationFilter mixedS30 Pro_82d6b3107454 x 2321

Subject

Nest Nebula, Eagle nebula, Swan nebula, Sagittarius Star Cloud, Webbs Cross, Trifid Nebula, Lagoon Nebula

M8 M16 M17 M20 M21 M24 1 result

Panorama / Sagittarius/Serpens Border

Nest Nebula, Eagle nebula, Swan nebula, Sagittarius Star Cloud, Webbs Cross, Trifid Nebula, Lagoon Nebula

Date 2026-06-09Emission Nebula / Asterism / Open Cluster / Dark NebulaConstellation Serpens / Serpens Cauda / SagittariusParsed 15h13.4h integrationFilter mixedS50_85b661b125616 x 4691

Subject

Sagittarius Cluster

M22 1 result

Sagittarius/Serpens Border

Sagittarius Cluster

Date 2026-07-12Globular ClusterConstellation SagittariusParsed 41m42m integrationFilter IRCUTS50_85b661b11606 x 2784

Subject

Swan / Omega Nebula

M16 M17 1 result

Sagittarius/Serpens Border

Swan / Omega Nebula

Date 2026-06-27Emission NebulaConstellation SagittariusParsed 17h approximate51.5h integrationFilter mixedS50_85b661b13236 x 2427

Subject

Wild Duck Cluster

M11 1 result

Sagittarius/Serpens Border

Wild Duck Cluster

Date 2026-07-12Open ClusterConstellation ScutumParsed 5m5m integrationFilter IRCUTS50_85b661b11544 x 2660