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> Horsehead and Orion nebulae

Horsehead and Orion nebulae

author: Anglo-Australian Observatory/David Malin Images/Novapix

reference: a-neb19-76504

Image Size 300 DPI: 37 * 51 cm

This wide-angle picture of the Orion region has been made to reveal the extensive network of very faint filaments which are traceable over most of the constellation. These faint features are optical evidence of a substantial dark cloud of molecular gas and dust which dominate at radio wavelengths. Where hot stars are closely associated with the molecular cloud, a bright nebula appears. By far the most conspicuous of these is the Orion Nebula, M42. This spectacular object is so bright that its light is reflected from filaments of the dark cloud some distance away. In contrast, the wisps of the Horsehead Nebula are much fainter but even here faint tendrils of nebulosity show that the nebula is much more extensive than is generally realised. All these objects are about 1500 light years distant.  

Keywords for this photo:

1987 - AAO - ALNILAM - ALNITAK - ASTRONOMY - B33 - BARNARD 33 - DARK NEBULA - DIFFUSE NEBULA - EMISSION NEBULA - HORSEHEAD - IC 434 - IC 435 - M42 - M43 - NEBULA - NGC 1973 - NGC 1975 - NGC 1976 - NGC 1977 - NGC 1982 - NGC 2023 - NGC 2024 - ORION - POSTER - REFLECTION - REFLECTION NEBULA - SIDING SPRING - SIGMA ORIONIS - STAR - YOUNG STAR -