This object is a large open cluster, one of the most famous in the sky, located 1200 light years away in the constellation of its namesake. I have always loved Orion but never took a close look at the belt, or realized that it was actually an open cluster. There is a lot going on in this part of the sky.

Collinder 70 includes all three 2nd-magnitude belt stars -Mintaka (left), Alnilam (center), and Alnitak (right) - as well as 100 more. As described in O'Meara's Secret Deep book, most societies have legends or stories regarding the Belt, ranging from the Bible (Job 38:31 - "Bands of Orion"), to the Mayans where it was their center of creation, to Australian aborigines who envisioned it as stars of fertility, to Germany where they were symbolic of the three wise men.



Looking beyond the dominant belt stars, the other bright blue and orange stars of the cluster are beautifully sprinkled in the open spaces of the belt. I wonder how many people have looked past the obvious brilliant belt to see the beauty of the full cluster.



There are a number of beautiful clouds of nebulousity scattered throughout the cluster. Starting from top left and working to bottom right, IC 423 is an ear-shaped nebula 1/3 of the way from Mintaka towards Alnilam. IC 424 is the small hazy patch with 2 beady eyes just below and to the left of IC 423. Straight down from IC 424 is IC 426, the brightest nebula in the area and one which is shaped like a foot with stars for the toes. Below IC 426 is a series of star patterns including several small doubles.

Moving on, NGC 1990 is an extremely faint cloud surrounding the central belt star Alnilam. Some astronomers don't think this object exists. To me, there seems to be an extended star glow around Alnilam, but I don't think it is enough to warrant a NGC designation.

To the left of Alnitak, IC 431 and IC 432 are faint blue glows around stars. Just below Alnitak is the beautiful Flame Nebula. To the right of Alnitak is the inimitable Horsehead Nebula (B33) and the beautiful reddish ionized hydrogen field (IC 434) which extends above it. Below the Horsehead (B33) are two bluish reflection nebula centered on bright stars. Finally, directly above the Horsehead is Sigma Orionis, a brilliant quadruple star.