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VA, US
39°/-77.5°
GMT -4
Waxing20:15 - 05:54
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M17: Rise, Set, Nighttime Path

M17

M17 Daily Motion


M17 will be visible until October, 18, when it will move too close to the Sun. During this time, its proximity to the Sun will cause it to disappear from the night sky, making it unobservable for a while.

M17 Rise and Set Timetable

TimeElevation
M17 Rise14:44
Sunset19:1634°
Civil sunset19:4435°
M17 transit19:4935°
Astrosession begin20:1534°
M17 Set00:53
Astrosession end05:54-56°

M17 Sky Tracker Map

Elevation (degrees)
Time
Altitude
Azimuth
Shift the map to change the time and observe M17 changing position in the night sky.

M17 - Omega Nebula

The Omega Nebula (M17), also known as the Swan Nebula, is an emission nebula located in the constellation Sagittarius. It was discovered by Philippe Loys de Chéseaux in 1745 and later included in Messier's catalog in 1764. The nebula is a region of active star formation.

M17 spans about 15 light-years across and is illuminated by a group of young, massive stars. The nebula is approximately 5,000 light-years away from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of 6.0, making it visible with binoculars or a small telescope.

M17 Image Gallery

DSS Blue

M17 photo taken with blue filter
These images are valuable for highlighting the presence of younger, hotter stars, which emit more light in the blue wavelengths.

DSS Red

M17 photo taken with red filter
These images are excellent for detecting older, cooler stars, as well as emission nebulae, which glow primarily in the red due to hydrogen alpha emissions.

DSS Near-Infrared

M17 photo taken with Near-Infrared filter
These images can penetrate dust clouds that obscure visible light, revealing structures and objects hidden within.

DSS Composite image

M17 color image
DSS Color images are composite images created by combining the blue, red, and often near-infrared images to produce a full-color representation.

The photos are taken from the Digitized Sky Survey 2 (DSS2), which was produced at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) under NASA contract, using data from the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), the European Southern Observatory (ESO), and the National Geographic Society-Palomar Observatory Sky Survey (POSS II).

Special thanks to the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, and the California Institute of Technology for their significant contributions.

Finder Chart for M17

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Object nameM17
Field of view
Limiting magnitude
M17 coordinates18.34642, -16.17153
Center coordinates18.34642, -16.17153

M17 Passage Through Night

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Current position of M17

Time20:00
Latitude39.0469
Longitude-77.4903
M17 elevation35°
M17 Azimuth177°
Here you can see the current position of the M17 on the map, as well as its positions for rise and set. This tool allows you to track the M17's movement throughout the night, providing you with accurate and up-to-date information.

Annual motion of M17

Time
DateTue, 17 September 2024
Twighlight start20:45
Twighlight end05:21
Twighlight duration9h 36m
Rise14:40
Set00:49
Elevation at transit35°
Transit time19:45
Equatorial coordinateRA: 18h 20m 47s, Dec: -16° 10' 17"
Magnitude7
ConstellationSagittarius
The graph illustrates the annual visibility pattern of a M17, providing a comprehensive overview of its daily appearances and transit times throughout the year.
The graph is structured with the vertical axis showing the hours of the day, ranging from 12 AM to 12 AM the next day, while the horizontal axis spans each day of the year.
The reddish shaded area indicates the periods when the M17 is above the horizon, visible to observers. The white line marks the times when the celestial object reaches its highest point in the sky each day, known as the transit.