210104 - M42 "Orion" nebula
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click image to enlarge
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ASTRO:
type=Emission nebula mag=4.0 const=Orion dist=1350 ly size=24 ly IMAGE: location=EB Driveway moon=67% WnGb exposure=DSLR OSC 53x180s (2.7h), ISO1600 EQUIPMENT: camera=Nikon D90 (stk) optics=ES102, FL=714mm; f/7 filter=Optolong L-Pro LPS mount=Celestron AVX EQ guiding=Orion 60x240mm, ZWO ASi224MC SOFTWARE: acquisition=Stellarium, APT, PHD2, processing=PixInsight, PhotoshopCC, RCAstro, LrC |
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The Orion Nebula (also known as Messier 42, or M42, and NGC 1976) is a diffuse nebula situated in the Milky Way galaxy, located south of Orion's Belt in the winter constellation of Orion. With an apparent magnitude of 4.0, it is one of only 2 bright nebulae in the nighttime skies that are generally visible to the naked (unaided) eye under moderate light pollution conditions (Bortle class 4, or better). (The other is the Lagoon nebula, which is a summertime object.)
The Orion nebula is located appx 1,344 light-years away from Earth and is the closest region of massive star formation to Earth. M42 is estimated to be 24 light-years across; so, its apparent size as viewed from Earth is appx 1 arc-degree (2x the diameter of the Moon). Its mass is about 2,000 times that of our Sun.
The Orion Nebula is one of the most scrutinized and photographed objects in the night sky and is among the most intensely studied. The nebula has revealed much about the process of how stars and planetary systems are formed from collapsing clouds of gas and dust. Astronomers have directly observed within the nebula protoplanetary disks and brown dwarfs, both of which are pre-cursors to planetary systems and stars, respectively. Intense and turbulent motions of the gas, and the photo-ionizing effects of massive nearby stars have also been detected.
The accompanying object to the left is called the "Walking Man" nebula (or NGC 1977).
The Orion nebula is located appx 1,344 light-years away from Earth and is the closest region of massive star formation to Earth. M42 is estimated to be 24 light-years across; so, its apparent size as viewed from Earth is appx 1 arc-degree (2x the diameter of the Moon). Its mass is about 2,000 times that of our Sun.
The Orion Nebula is one of the most scrutinized and photographed objects in the night sky and is among the most intensely studied. The nebula has revealed much about the process of how stars and planetary systems are formed from collapsing clouds of gas and dust. Astronomers have directly observed within the nebula protoplanetary disks and brown dwarfs, both of which are pre-cursors to planetary systems and stars, respectively. Intense and turbulent motions of the gas, and the photo-ionizing effects of massive nearby stars have also been detected.
The accompanying object to the left is called the "Walking Man" nebula (or NGC 1977).