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CHAMÄLEON + ONJALA OBSERVATORY DeepSky | SITEMAP HOME CHAMÄLEON |
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| « back to overview Nebulae | Load higher resolution (1800 x 1200 Pixel 2800 x 2100 Pixel) | Object description |
Our image shows a wide angle view of the region of the large Orion nebula Messier 42 and Messier 43, with NGC 2024, IC 434 and the dark nebula Barnard 33, the famous Horsehead Nebula, in the lower left corner. There is no space to describe this region in detail. More detailed information about this region can be found here.
The nebula region is complex and the largest star formation area (Emission Nebula, H-II), which can be seen with the naked eye in the northern starry sky. However, compared to NGC 3372 (Carina Nebula), NGC 3357 and NGC 2070 in the large Magellanic Cloud in the southern sky, the Orion complex is much smaller.
The Orion Nebula developed from a part of the much larger interstellar cool molecular cloud, which is clearly visible in our picture in reddish brown colour. With a distance of about 1350 light years, it is one of the most active star forming regions in the galactic neighbourhood of the Solar System, and therefore a preferred object of observation for understanding star formation.
The main ionization source of the Orion Nebula (Messier 42) is Orionis C1, which is also one of the most luminous stars known, with more than 200,000 times the luminosity of the Sun. It is part of the group of stars in the Orion trapezium. The neighbouring De Mairans Nebula, Messier 43, has a different ionising source - the variable star NU Orionis (HD 37061) and is therefore not part of the Orion Nebula Messier 42. Unfortunately our short exposed images of the core area of M 42 are still too long and the area is therefore overexposed. But the brownish red molecular cloud is quite nice to see.
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The
neighbouring De Mairans Nebula, Messier 43, has a different ionising source -
the variable star NU Orionis (HD 37061) and is therefore not part of the Orion
Nebula Messier 42. Unfortunately our short exposed images of the core area of M
42 are still too long and the area is therefore overexposed. But the brownish
red molecular cloud is quite nice to see. First observation reports of M42/43 are from the year 1610 by the French polymath N.-C. F. de Peiresc. « Here is a little known image of the Orion Nebula, taken in 2004 and 2005 by the Hubble Space Telescope. Click here or on the thumbnail to load a larger image. Credit: NASA, ESA, M. Robberto (Space Telescope Science Institute/ESA) and the Hubble Space Telescope Orion Treasury Project Team. A detailed image from us of the core of the Orion nebula Messier 42 with some protoplanetary discs we show here ... A high resolution image of Orionis C1 - the Orion trapeze - we show here. |
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