Messier Catalog » M42 — NGC 1976 Great Orion Nebula

Diffuse Nebula in Orion

A detailed stack of eight different sessions to produce a detailed portrait of one of the largest, brightest, and most intricately detailed nebulae.
M42: The Great Orion Nebula

A detailed stack of eight different sessions to produce a detailed portrait of one of the largest, brightest, and most intricately detailed nebulae.

Orion's sword contains multiple nebulae as evidenced in this wide field mirrorless camera shot.
M42: The Great Orion Nebula and NGC1977: The Running Man Nebula

Orion's sword contains multiple nebulae as evidenced in this wide field mirrorless camera shot.

This popular nebula is bright, easy to photograph and visible to the naked eye.
M42: The Great Orion Nebula

This popular nebula is bright, easy to photograph and visible to the naked eye.

It's a popular target, but it never gets old. Although I've visited the Great Orion Nebula (M42) and de Mairan's Nebula (M43) many times before, I believe this is my most detailed capture yet. The data is from two sessions with Stellina taken exactly one year apart on March 4th, 2021, and 2022. I sifted by hand through over 700 10-second captures to cull it down to around 560 of the 'cleanest', stacked it in AstroPixel Processor and processed it in PixInsight.
M42 Prime

It's a popular target, but it never gets old. Although I've visited the Great Orion Nebula (M42) and de Mairan's Nebula (M43) many times before, I believe this is my most detailed capture yet. The data is from two sessions with Stellina taken exactly one year apart on March 4th, 2021, and 2022. I sifted by hand through over 700 10-second captures to cull it down to around 560 of the 'cleanest', stacked it in AstroPixel Processor and processed it in PixInsight.

The Running Man Nebula (NGC1977), De Mairan's Nebula (M42) and the Great Orion Nebula (M43) are beautiful on their own. That beauty stands out in contrast when you witness the wider field of view that contains all three Nebulae on the glowing tip of Orion's sword. This is a mosaic of all three with 400mm exposures from Stellina.
Orion's Sword at 400mm

The Running Man Nebula (NGC1977), De Mairan's Nebula (M42) and the Great Orion Nebula (M43) are beautiful on their own. That beauty stands out in contrast when you witness the wider field of view that contains all three Nebulae on the glowing tip of Orion's sword. This is a mosaic of all three with 400mm exposures from Stellina.

The Orion constellation is easily recognizable by the bright red Betelgeuse 'shoulder', three stars to form the 'belt' and a sword tipped with a nebula visible to the naked eye.
Orion

The Orion constellation is easily recognizable by the bright red Betelgeuse 'shoulder', three stars to form the 'belt' and a sword tipped with a nebula visible to the naked eye.

This close-up of the sword in the Orion constellation actually captures x nebula and clusters, including the Great Orion Nebula, De Marain's Nebula, the Running Man Nebula, and the Lost Jewel of Orion.
Orion's Sword

This close-up of the sword in the Orion constellation actually captures x nebula and clusters, including the Great Orion Nebula, De Marain's Nebula, the Running Man Nebula, and the Lost Jewel of Orion.

 
RA

5h 35.4m

Dec

-5°27

Magnitude

4 ⚪⚪⚪⚪⚫⚫⚫⚫⚫⚫

Size

85x60

Distance

1,600 light years

Season

❄ Winter

Difficulty

✅ Very Easy

 
M43: NGC 1982 de Mairan's Nebula »