Nebulae & clusters · Star-forming nebula
Orion Nebula
1,344 light-years · Light crosses it in 24 years
- Across
- 24 light-years
- Vs Earth
- 24 light-years across
- Mass
- 2,000 Suns
Open Orion Nebula in Cosmic Scale
In the app, Orion Nebula is part of the Beyond pack.
About
The Orion Nebula is the nearest large stellar nursery, a glowing cavern of gas being carved out by the young stars inside it. It is the fuzzy middle 'star' in Orion's sword, visible to the naked eye.
The nearest large stellar nursery — visible to the naked eye in Orion's sword.
At a glance
| Distance | 1,344 light-years |
|---|---|
| Mass | About 2,000 Suns |
| Age | Under 3 million years |
| Also known as | M42 |
Did you know
- Four hot young stars called the Trapezium light the whole nebula.
- Hubble found hundreds of protoplanetary disks here — solar systems in the act of forming.
- It is only the bright face of a much larger cloud that covers most of the constellation.
Real photo
- The Orion Nebula, Hubble's sharpest view — NASA, ESA, M. Robberto (Space Telescope Science Institute / ESA) and the Hubble Space Telescope Orion Treasury Project Team (CC BY 4.0) · source