The Orion Nebula (Messier 42 or M42) is a vast and bright emission nebula located about 1,350 light-years away in the constellation Orion, forming part of the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex. Spanning roughly 24 light-years across, it is the closest massive star-forming region to Earth and can even be seen with the naked eye as the fuzzy “star” in Orion’s sword. The nebula glows brightly due to intense ultraviolet radiation from young, hot stars in its core, particularly those in the Trapezium Cluster, which energize the surrounding gas and dust. Fascinatingly, the Orion Nebula offers astronomers a direct glimpse into the process of stellar and planetary formation, acting as a nearby laboratory for studying how solar systems like ours begin.

Body: Orion Nebula (M42)
Original Resolution: 6225×3840
DPI: 96
Bit Depth: 24
Exposure Time: 1hr 11min 33sec