The Orion's Belt is formed by the three bright stars Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka, aligned in a nearly straight line within the constellation Orion, about 1,300 light-years from Earth. These stars are massive blue supergiants, each much larger and hotter than the Sun, shining brightly due to their intense luminosity and surface temperatures.

In a wide-field image of the belt, you can also observe surrounding interstellar material, such as the Flame Nebula near Alnitak and the Horsehead Nebula, a dark silhouette against a glowing background of hydrogen gas. The region is part of the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex, a massive star-forming area rich with gas and dust. The alignment and brightness of these three stars have made Orion's Belt a key feature for stargazers across cultures throughout history.