There exist few regions of nebulosity which show the same variety of color and detail like the region around NGC 6559 does. It is located just one degree east of M8, the Lagoon Nebula and is part of the same large nebulous complex and star forming region. NGC 6559 is the brightest patch of emission nebulosity in the image, which forms an arc-like structure around a blue reflection nebula in the lower part of the image. The red emission nebula on top which is ringed by blue reflection nebulosity is designated IC 1274.

The region contains several patches of red emission nebulae as well as blue reflection nebulae and dark opaque nebulae. The most prominent dark nebulae in this image is B 303, which can be seen here as a dark serpentine structure just 3 arc minutes southeast of the brightest star in the photo, which has magnitude 7.6.

NGC 6559 is a starbirth region. The birth and subsequent energetic radiative output of the stars within the nebula cause the gas to glow very brightly. Even though these stars have strived to push away all of the gas and dust near them; thicker portions remain and continue to scatter light which color the area with hints of blue and purple. Also, this region is obscured by interstellar dust which is in part responsible for some of the dark nebulae.

M8 - Lagoon Nebula, HαRGB image.