By Kain and Ian
What is it?
• Orion Nebula (also known as Messier 42,
M42, or NGC 1976)
NEBULA - an interstellar cloud of dust,
hydrogen gas, helium gas + other ionized
gases.
• It is a diffuse nebula situated south of
Orion's Belt
• Diffuse nebulae- sometimes
inaccurately referred to as gaseous
nebulae
Continued..
• It is seen as the middle "star" in
the sword of Orion, which are
the three stars located south of
Orion's Belt
Location
• South of Orion’s belt
• Closest star is about 1,344 light years away
from Earth
• The nebula is part of a larger nebula that is
known as the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex
• The Orion Molecular Cloud Complex extends
throughout the Orion constellation and
include Barnard’s Loop, the Horse head
Nebula, M43, M78, and the Flame Nebula
Discovery
• Discovered in 1610
– French scholar and naturalist Nicolas-Claude Fabri
de Peiresc
– 2 years after the invention of the telescope
• 1656 – Dutch scholar and scientist Christian
Huygens
– Discovered the detail of the inner nebula
– Inner star is not a single but a compact quadruple
system
History
Multiple scholars made observations
– Cataloged more and more objects inside
• March 1774- Sir William Herschel
– Theory: “…which would see here an unformed
fiery mist, the chaotic material of future suns.”
Characteristics
• Contains mostly hydrogen and helium
• Hot, young stars in center -> ionize
surrounding gas -> UV radiation forces
electrons from their atoms -> light is emitted
when the electrons attach to other atoms
– “Emission nebulae”: clouds of ionized gas
– The redish and blue gases are cause by light
reflecting off the radiation
Continued…
• one of the brightest nebulae, and is visible to
the naked eye in the night sky
• closest region of massive star formation to
Earth
Interesting Facts
• One of the most photographed objects in
the night sky
• Among the most intensely studied celestial
features
Works Cited
•
Phillips, Terry. "Image Of The Day - Orion Nebula Reveals
Thousands Of Stars." Message To Eagle - Latest Science &
Technology News. 23 Feb. 2009. Web. 02 Mar. 2011.
<http://www.messagetoeagle.com/index.php/space/58images/364-image-of-the-day-orion-nebula-reveals-thousands-ofstars>.
• Scheer, Jean. "What Is the Orion Nebula?" WiseGEEK: Clear
Answers for Common Questions. 12 Dec. 2009. Web. 02 Mar. 2011.
<http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-orion-nebula.htm>.
• Silverstean, Sara D. "APOD: 2009 February 22 - Orion Nebula: The
Hubble View." Astronomy Picture of the Day. 17 Mar. 2009. Web. 02
Mar. 2011. <http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090222.html>.
•
Smith, Arron. "M42 - The Orion Nebula." An Atlas of The Universe. 24 Apr.
2008. Web. 02 Mar. 2011.
<http://www.atlasoftheuniverse.com/nebulae/m42.html>.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LeDir65-AE&feature=fvwrel
VIDEO!!!
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LeDir65AE&feature=fvwrel