Diffuse nebula in Orion
The Orion nebula is one of the showcase objects of the winter sky. Dimly visible to the naked eye as f uzzy "star" in the middle of Orion's sword, it is a beautiful view in even small telescopes. In this image, the largest section of the nebula is Messier 42, and the smaller, teardrop-shaped section above it is Messier 43.
In the middle of the brightest section of M42 is a tight group of 4 stars known as the Trapezium.
| Magnitude | 4.0 |
| Apparent Size | 65' x 60' |
| Distance (light yrs) | 1,344 |
| Right Ascension | 5:35.3 |
| Declination | -5 23 |
| Field of View | 29' x 22' |
Image details: Exposure times of 7 minutes luminance and 3 minutes each of red, green, and blue, taken with an SBIG STF-8300M imager and a 14" Meade LX850 telescope at f/5.5.
March 2022