A mid-wide view of the Sagittarius Arm

This image captures one of the most active regions of the Milky Way, located on the border between the constellations of Serpens Cauda and Sagittarius. It is part of the giant M16-M17 molecular cloud complex, one of the Galaxy's largest and most active star-forming regions. The field includes: - M16 (Eagle Nebula), famous for hosting the Pillars of Creation. - M17 (Omega Nebula), one of the brightest H II regions in the Milky Way. - NGC 6604, a young open cluster embedded within the Sh2-54 emission nebula. Three remarkable objects, physically connected as part of the same giant molecular cloud, where new generations of stars are still forming today.