Abstract
Spectrophotometry in the 3400-7400-A range is presented for six areas inside the Lagoon nebula. Values are given for the electron temperature, the electron density and the N(He(+)/N(H(+)) abundance ratios to determine the atomic contribution to the continuum emission. More than half of the continuum emission is due to dust-scattered light. In the direction of the Hourglass the 4200 and 4686 He(+) lines are detected in absorption; this result also implies that most of the continuum emission in that direction is produced by dust-scattered light as in reflection nebulae. The effective gas to dust ratio in the direction of the Hourglass is determined by two different methods.
