Nebula
Orion Nebula (M42)
The nearest giant star-forming region
The naked-eye nebula in Orion's sword; a star factory 1,300 light-years away and 24 light-years across. The four hot stars of the Trapezium cluster at its centre ionise and light up the cloud; Hubble has imaged hundreds of protoplanetary discs (proplyds) within it.
| Type | Nebula |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Orion |
| Distance | 412 pc (1,340 light-years) |
| Apparent magnitude | 4,0 |
| Diameter | ~24 light-years |
| Mass | ~2 000 M☉ |
| Discovery | 1610, Peiresc |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 5h 35m 17.3s |
| Declination (J2000) | −5° 23′ 28″ |
In the sky
Visible from the whole Southern Hemisphere and north to latitude 85° N. It stands highest at midnight in December, the best time to observe it.
Through a telescope from Earth
Light's journey
The light you see tonight set out around the year 682. At the speed of Voyager 1, the fastest craft leaving the Solar System (16.9 km per second), the trip would take 24 million years.