Steve’s Virtual Planet

The Magnificent Orion Nebula

When it comes to deciding what objects are the most spectacular in the Winter sky, it’s difficult to understate the beauty of the constellation of Orion, The Hunter. Regardless of whether you are observing just casually or more seriously, naked eye, binoculars or telescope, there is so much to offer at a wide range of magnifications. And of course, when one begins to tour the great expanse, you’re likely to end up spending a lot of time on the Orion Nebula. This grand target in the sky is also known as M42, one of the objects in the Messier catalog, and it’s approximately 1500 light years from earth!

This nebula is one of the most observed and photographed places in the night sky all year ’round. It’s not far from the belt of Orion and I find that it is quite satisfying at magnifications from 10 power through binoculars to upwards of 150 power through a telescope of any size. At low power, with a wide field of view, the entire expanse of the Sword of Orion stretches out to include several significant clusters and other nebulae. When viewed at higher power, you can zoom in on the wonderful structure of the nebulae and pick out some of the individual stars.

To me, any chance to visit the Orion Nebulae at the telescope is always rewarding. But, it’s also interesting to look on the internet for the hundreds of images taken by amateurs and professionals alike. The long exposure views of this complex object reveal so much structure and color that we don’t see with the naked eye. Also, read up on the statistics and astro physics of this object and you will see that it is really in our neighborhood of the Milky Way. Studying the images and the stats will help to further enhance the next live view when you get the chance to see it yourself at the eyepiece. Regardless of the instrument or the preparation, you will always be willing to look at the magnificent Orion Nebula again when you have the chance.