The Orion Nebula, cataloged as M42, is one of the nearest and most studied stellar nurseries, located about 1,350 light years away in the constellation Orion. At its core lies the Trapezium Cluster, a group of young, massive stars whose intense ultraviolet radiation excites surrounding hydrogen gas, causing it to glow in shades of pink and red. These energetic stars also sculpt the nebula’s structure, carving cavities and sweeping arcs through the surrounding clouds of gas and dust.
Above M42 in this wide field view is NGC 1977, commonly known as the Running Man Nebula. Unlike the Orion Nebula, its bluish tones are produced primarily by reflected starlight rather than emission. Together, these regions trace different physical processes at work within the same molecular cloud complex, revealing how star formation both illuminates and reshapes its environment on scales of several light years.
The Orion Nebula, cataloged as M42, is one of the nearest and most studied stellar nurseries, located about 1,350 light years away in the constellation Orion. At its core lies the Trapezium Cluster, a group of young, massive stars whose intense ultraviolet radiation excites surrounding hydrogen gas, causing it to glow in shades of pink and red. These energetic stars also sculpt the nebula’s structure, carving cavities and sweeping arcs through the surrounding clouds of gas and dust.
Above M42 in this wide field view is NGC 1977, commonly known as the Running Man Nebula. Unlike the Orion Nebula, its bluish tones are produced primarily by reflected starlight rather than emission. Together, these regions trace different physical processes at work within the same molecular cloud complex, revealing how star formation both illuminates and reshapes its environment on scales of several light years.