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The composition
of this image was VERY carefully chosen as to include a host
of interesting objects near the Orion Nebula complex. The dim
nebulosity covers an area in circular patch centered on M42/43
in the center. (This image was carefully flat fielded)
We start our journey
into this exciting region with the central object M42. A bright
core is surrounded by first blue, then pink wreaths of nebulosity,
then again surrounded by an immense ring of blue reflection.
Dark brown dust lanes cut into the nebula, blocking the light
from our view. Just underneath the dark bay in M42 you will find
M43 a bright but small coma shaped nebula consisting of both
blue dust and pink gas.
Just below (north)
M43 is a huge blue nebula Sharpless 2-279, with a purple heart
- the Running Man Nebula. The purple coloration is from a small
amount of emission nebulosity inside the core of the nebula shining
through. It surrounds the collection of hot blue supergiant stars
of the cluster NGC1977.
Below this object
is a sparse but splashy open cluster with some reflection nebulosity,
NGC1981. This 4th magnitude object has about 20 stars as part
of the cluster.
Take a turn to
the left now, and in the lower left corner is a very isolated
streak of reflection nebulosity, IC420. It shines from the light
of 8.2 magnitude SAO 132229, a type B7 star.
Now pan your attention
to just above M42 (The Orion Nebula) and you will see two or
three very bright stars forming a star cluster enveloped in some
blue reflection nebulosity. This is NGC1980, a super bright combined
magnitude of 2.5, spread over a quarter degree of sky. This is
primary from its brightest component iota Orionis, a 6th magnitude
O9 star.
Now we turn our
gaze once again to the upper right part of the field. This is
perhaps one of the most spectacular groupings in the entire sky
of Herbig-Haro objects, or proto star cocoons. Look closely at
the larger image, and you will see a small blue reflection nebula
- NGC1999 with a dark spot on one side in the core of the complex,
and just above, HH1 and HH2 seen here as a spectacular pair of
blood red nebula. The elusive Waterfall nebula and Chevron Nebulas
are to be found here as well.
Next, take a look
in the upper right corner of the frame. The bright star 49 Orionis
which is 4.8th magnitude illuminates IC430, a very dim streak
shaped reflection nebula.
Finally, notice
the huge circular brownish/red dust and gas cloud that surrounds
the M42 complex over most of this image. While deep hydrogen
images will reveal a fine textured detail in this envelope, It
also is very dusty, and the overall tint is close to a yellowish
red color.
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