Combination of 10, 317 second exposures. Modified Canon Digital Rebel DSLR camera.
5" f/5 refractor at prime focus.
M17 is a moderately large and bright emission nebula in Serpens. Under dark skies it is visible to the naked eye. The nicknames, "Omega Nebula" and "Swan Nebula" come from the hook-shape in the south-western portion of the nebula, prominently visible in an 8" telescope. Only a little imagination is required to picture an swan swimming gracefully across the sky.
The patch of nebulosity at the right-hand edge is part of a very large but faint nebula, IC 4701.