M 42, THE ORION NEBULA on 2023-10-14

This photo was taken at Fort McKavett, Texas, through a 6-inch f/4 Telescope, on a Sky-Watcher EQ6-R mount, with a ZWO ASI533MC PRO color camera. The total image acquisition time is: 02 hrs 31 min 20 sec. The processing was done in PixInsight. [Full Size View] Full size files are very large and can take a minute to download. After downloading the full-size picture to zoom in or out on a computer hold down the Ctrl key and use the scroll mouse button, or you can press the + or - key.

The Orion Nebula, also known as Messier 42, or M 42, is the nearest star-forming region to the Earth. It is located approximately 1,350 light-years away and is about 2 million years old. Since the Orion Nebula is a molecule forming nursery, astronomers estimate the nebula forms enough water molecules to fill the Earth's oceans 60 times over every day. The Orion Nebula is part of a larger stellar network referred to as The Orion Molecular Cloud Complex, which is one of the most active star-forming regions in our sky. Several thousand newborn stars are currently forming within The Orion Molecular Cloud Complex.

Previous, Older Photos 

M 42, THE ORION NEBULA on 2021-01-11

This photo was done in my backyard in Kyle, Texas through a 4.5-inch f/4 Telescope, mounted piggyback on my 17.5-inch telescope, driven by my home built AZ/ALT mount, using a ZWO ASI533MC PRO color camera. The total image acquisition time is: 01 hrs 00 min 15 sec.

M 42 on 10-01-2008

Photographed with my 17.5 inch scope and SBIG ST-9E CCD camera.

Return to https://astronomy.afountain.org/