Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Orion (Ori)  ·  Contains:  LBN 938  ·  LBN 939  ·  M 78  ·  NGC 2064  ·  NGC 2067  ·  NGC 2068  ·  NGC 2071  ·  VdB59  ·  VdB60
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M78 closeup, Darius Kopriva
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M78 closeup

Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
M78 closeup, Darius Kopriva
Powered byPixInsight

M78 closeup

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Description

Messier 78 or M78, also known as NGC 2068, is a reflection nebula in the constellation Orion. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1780 and included by Charles Messier in his catalog of comet-like objects that same year.

M78 is the brightest diffuse reflection nebula of a group of nebulae that includes NGC 2064, NGC 2067 and NGC 2071. This group belongs to the Orion B molecular cloud complex and is about 1,350 light-years distant from Earth. M78 is easily found in small telescopes as a hazy patch and involves two stars of 10th and 11th magnitude. These two B-type stars, HD 38563 A and HD 38563 B, are responsible for making the cloud of dust in M78 visible by reflecting their light.

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M78 closeup, Darius Kopriva

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Southern Hemisphere Astro