Orion Molecular Cloud 2/3 Region

M42, the Orion Nebula, just above and outside of this image, and NGC 1977, the Running Man Nebula, sitting in the lower left corner, typically steal the show in this part of the Orion Molecular Cloud. M42 is the most active stellar nursery in our stellar neighborhood. The image below however, focuses on what lies between M42 and NGC 1977. The nebulae streaming through the center of the image is known as the 2/3 region of the Orion Molecular cloud. The upper limit of this stream is M43, DeMairan’s Nebula. M43 hosts a number of stars, but at its center lies an irregular variable star with a magnitude between 6.5-7.6. It is only 7 minutes of arc away from the trapezium region of M42, and therefore bathed by its light.

The SIMBAD site pointed out several Herbig-Haro objects. (Turbulent patches of nebulosity that are typically associated with newborn stars. ) The jets from new stars often send out partially ionized gas at speeds up to several hundred km/hr. These jets can collide and interact with the interstellar medium (gas and dust between stars) forming the Herbig-Haro-object. HH41 and 42 can be seen in the lower 3rd of the image, close to center and slightly right of the 9th magnitude star Tycho 4774:762. They are small red, tadpole like objects.

Two beams of light are streaming out of the right side of the dark molecular cloud that is located to the right (South) of NGC 1977(Running Man). UV radiation from new stars in that area has eroded holes in the cloud and the light is now shining across the stellar stream in the direction of M43.

Close to 350 protostars and pre-mainsequence stars have been detected in this Molecular cloud.

“Silently, one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven, blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie

Acquisition information:

Location- Starlodge Observatory, Fairview UT

Date- December 2018

Telescope- Astro Tech 16" Ritchey Chretien

Camera- Atik 16200

LRGB: 240:80:80:80