The Trifid Nebula is being explored and observed, with recent images and portraits released. Observations of the nebula taken over time, including those from 25 years apart, show changes in its appearance. The Hubble space telescope and other observatories, such as the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, have captured images of the Trifid Nebula, although one report mistakenly references the Crab Nebula instead.