Astronomy Picture of the Day -- M42: Inside the Orion Nebula

NASA ^ | March 20, 2013 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: The Great Nebula in Orion, an immense, nearby starbirth region, is probably the most famous of all astronomical nebulas. Here, glowing gas surrounds hot young stars at the edge of an immense interstellar molecular cloud only 1500 light-years away. In the above deep image in assigned colors highlighted by emission in oxygen and hydrogen, wisps and sheets of dust and gas are particularly evident. The Great Nebula in Orion can be found with the unaided eye near the easily identifiable belt of three stars in the popular constellation Orion. In addition to housing a bright open cluster of stars known as the Trapezium, the Orion Nebula contains many stellar nurseries. These nurseries contain much hydrogen gas, hot young stars, proplyds, and stellar jets spewing material at high speeds. Also known as M42, the Orion Nebula spans about 40 light years and is located in the same spiral arm of our Galaxy as the Sun.

[SunkenCiv]

[Credit & Copyright: Reinhold Wittich]

[SunkenCiv]

Messier than usual, just the way I like it. And regarding this nebula image -- wowee.

I hope everyone in the northern hemisphere enjoyed this first day of Spring 2013. Other than the light snow flurries, biting cold, and having to work, I had a great time.

Vernal Equinox: This day and night are equal over all planet Earth.

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[SunkenCiv]

the only flaw to this is, not 1920 wide:

http://129.164.179.22/apod/image/1303/m42_wittich_1024.jpg

[MarineBrat]

We had a public star party on Tuesday 3/12 with comet PanSTARRS just about 3 degrees to the left of a 30 hour old Moon. PanSTARRS was a bit of a dud, but after it got dark hoo-boy, Orion was a big hit in the big scopes.

[knarf]

O.M.G.

That has Sistine Chapel written all OVER it

Magnificent !

[FatherofFive]

How Great Thou Art!

[SunkenCiv]

I’d planned to make a trip out to Lake Michigan tonight, but the weather turned back toward Old Man Winter. Once it’s a clear sky, no matter how cold, I will get out there to check out the comet right after sunset.