The Orion Nebula (M42) is one of the brightest and closest star forming regions to our Solar System, lying about
1500 LY away in the constellation Orion.  Thee Nebula shines due to the ionization of the Hydrogen gas that resides
there, a process fueled by the energetic young stars to which this cloud gave birth.  Among these stars is the Trapezium,
one of the youngest known star clusters in the sky.  The above image also contains M43, the smaller flame shaped cloud
in the upper left.  The Orion Nebula is part of the larger star forming cloud known as the Orion Molecular Cloud 
Complex, which spans several hundred light years.



November 20, 2008
WO 105mm f/7 Apo Refractor
Canon Digital Rebel 400D / Modified (Hap Griffin)
72 Minutes / 24x180s@ 800ASA
Manually guided on a 14" Meade LX200
Skyhawk Observatory, West Bend, WI
Rick Kazmierski