[don-o]

Is that last image an overlaid view of the nebula with the stars between here and there?

[petuniasevan]

There are stars between us and the nebula, plus there is a star cluster NGC 6530 within M8.

Short exposure shows more stars:

Long exposure brings out the nebulosity

And this beautiful image is a 90-minute exposure on hypered Kodak PPF 400 film. Both the nebula and the stars are very prominent.