The Great Nebula has played an essential role in the development of modern astrophysics. In 1864 English astronomer Sir William Huggins, applying the new tools of astronomical spectroscopy to the nebula, deduced that its light was emitted from diffuse gas. In 1880, at the hands of American astronomer Henry Draper, the Great Nebula became the first nebula to be captured on film.
In recent years, the nebula has greatly advanced scientific under- standing of how and where stars form in our galaxy. The Great Nebula is probably the most extensively studied nebula in our galaxy and has been observed at every wavelength. In addition to being an object of serious scientific scrutiny, the Great Nebula is a
