Adrift 1,500 light-years away in one of the night sky's most recognizable constellations [
http://starchild.gs…88constellations.htm l ], the glowing Orion Nebula [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] and the dark Horsehead Nebula [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] are contrasting cosmic vistas. They both appear in this stunning composite color photograph along with other nebulosities [
http://casswww.ucsd…ISM.html ] as part of the giant Orion Molecular Cloud complex [
http://www.seds.org…], itself hundreds of light-years across. The magnificent Orion Nebula [
http://www.seds.org…] (aka M42) lies at the bottom of the image. This emission nebula's bright central [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] regions were captured on fast film in a relatively short 30 second exposure. Above M42 [
http://vis.sdsc.edu…] are a cluster of prominent bluish reflection nebulae [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] and fainter reddish emission nebulae recorded in additional exposures lasting up to 40 minutes. The Horsehead [
http://www.seds.org…] appears as a dark nebula, a small silhouette notched against the long red glow at the upper left. Alnitak [
http://www.gb.nrao.…belt.html ] is the easternmost star in Orion's belt and is seen as the brightest star above the Horsehead. Immediately to Alnitak's left is the Flame Nebula [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…], with clouds of bright emission and dramatic dark dust lanes. The telescopic exposures were made from a site in the Southern French Alps at an altitude of 2,800 meters (a little closer to the stars!) in September of 2001.
Explanation
Adrift 1,500 light-years away in one of the night sky's most recognizable constellations [
http://starchild.gs…88constellations.htm l ], the glowing Orion Nebula [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] and the dark Horsehead Nebula [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] are contrasting cosmic vistas. They both appear in this stunning composite color photograph along with other nebulosities [
http://casswww.ucsd…ISM.html ] as part of the giant Orion Molecular Cloud complex [
http://www.seds.org…], itself hundreds of light-years across. The magnificent Orion Nebula [
http://www.seds.org…] (aka M42) lies at the bottom of the image. This emission nebula's bright central [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] regions were captured on fast film in a relatively short 30 second exposure. Above M42 [
http://vis.sdsc.edu…] are a cluster of prominent bluish reflection nebulae [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] and fainter reddish emission nebulae recorded in additional exposures lasting up to 40 minutes. The Horsehead [
http://www.seds.org…] appears as a dark nebula, a small silhouette notched against the long red glow at the upper left. Alnitak [
http://www.gb.nrao.…belt.html ] is the easternmost star in Orion's belt and is seen as the brightest star above the Horsehead. Immediately to Alnitak's left is the Flame Nebula [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…], with clouds of bright emission and dramatic dark dust lanes. The telescopic exposures were made from a site in the Southern French Alps at an altitude of 2,800 meters (a little closer to the stars!) in September of 2001.
Explanation
