Sky Survey Captures Stunning New Image of the Lagoon Nebula

The VLT Survey Telescope (VST) is capturing some spectacular images as it covers the Milky Way Galaxy. Known as the VPHAS+, this survey is just one of three using visible light with the VST. Now, though, astronomers have released a new image of the brilliant Lagoon Nebula, showing researchers a bit more about this giant cloud of gas and dust that's creating intensely bright young stars.

The Lagoon Nebula is located about 5,000 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Sagittarius. Also known as Messier 8, this cloud is a staggering 100 light-years across. New stars form within its plumes of gas and dust and the nebula itself also contains stellar clusters.

The new image is amazing to look at, but it also represents a wealth of information. The surveys currently taking place address many important questions in modern astronomy. These include the nature of dark energy, searching for brilliant quasars in the early universe, probing the structure of the Milky Way and looking for unusual and hidden objects, studying the neighboring Magellanic Clouds in greater detail and many others.

In addition to the nine imaging surveys with VISTA and the VST, there are also two additional surveys in progress using the ESO telescopes. One is mapping the properties of more than 100,000 stars in the Milky Way. The other is following up on transient objects, such as supernovae.

Already, these surveys have made a few discoveries. For example, in the VVV survey, astronomers spotted new star clusters and made the best map yet of the central parts of our Milky Way galaxy. Astronomers have also spotted some of the most distant quasars discovered so far.

The new surveys are likely to provide researchers with new insight into stellar objects. In addition, they're giving astronomers a clearer view of our universe, which could aid with future studies.

Check out the zoomable version of the new image, which allows to explore all of the nooks and crannies of the nebula.