Orion Nebula, M42, NGC 1976
The Orion Nebula, or Messier 42, is a H II region excited by stars in the Trapezium Cluster, the dense concentration of bright, hot stars near the center of the image. In total, the Trapezium and the associated cluster contains more than three thousand stars. The Nebula itself is a gaseous bubble formed on the front side of the Orion A Molecular Cloud. The bright, extended nebulosity seen in this image can be attributed to scattered starlight from dust in the nebula, various hydrogen emission lines, and shocked molecular hydrogen at 2 microns. To the north of the Orion Nebula is the OMC-2 molecular cloud and a series of red stars signifying young, embedded protostellar objects. Note also the bipolar nebula in this region. Finally, at the top of the image is the H II region NGC 1977. This nebula is much brighter at optical wavelengths, although faint wisps of nebulosity are apparent in this image. The right-most object among the pair of bright blue stars is the ionizing source for NGC 1977.
Size: 3086px × 4500px
Photo credit: © Photo Researchers / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 42, 1976, 2mass, astronomical, astronomy, astrophysical, astrophysics, body, celestial, cloud, complex, cosmic, deep, formation, heavenly, interstellar, m42, messier, molecular, nebula, nebulae, ngc, ngc1976, nursery, object, orion, project, region, science, sky, space, star, star-forming, stellar
