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Astronomy: Messier 42
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M42, the Great nebula in Orion, is probably the most famous of all astronomical nebulae. It is an immense nearby starbirth region and contains many stellar nurseries. These nurseries contain hydrogen gas, hot young stars, proplyds, and stellar jets spewing material at high speeds. It houses a bright open cluster of stars known as the Trapezium which also contains new stars. Orion, the Hunter, also contains two enormous stars: Betelgeuse and Rigel. These massive supergiants are in a late stadium of their life as a star, and each one is on a course to go supernova or hypernova. Also, observations have been made of protoplanetary disks in the Orion nebula. From these disks of gas and dust surrounding an infant star planets are formed. M42 lies only 1500 light years away, located in the same spiral arm of our Galaxy as our solar system. The Orion nebula spans about 40 light-years. Related subjects>> Messier catalog of 110 deep sky objects>> Star formation in the Trapezium in Orion >> Planet formation in Orion >> Supergiant star Betelgeuse in Orion |
 The constellation Orion  The Orion nebula  Closeup photo from the nebula's core |
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