This is the fascinating star-forming region from NGC 1999's "keyhole" to the Waterfall Nebula (HH 222) - an area with few posted images, especially of the unusual Waterfall Nebula. Other than Hubble or Kitt Peak's 4-meter scope, a couple of standout images are Robert Gendler's 20" RC image from 2006 and Mark Hanson's NASA APOD in 2018.

Located in Orion (visually right next to M42), the image shows a portion of one of Orion’s giant molecular clouds known as “Orion A." The bright object in the bottom-left corner is the reflection nebula NGC 1999 containing the young multiple star V380 Orionis which is about three times as massive as the Sun. The nebula has a dark, triangular shaped "keyhole" feature which is the object of much study and some controversy. This dark feature, designated "Parsamian 34", was originally considered to be a Bok globule, but more recent studies conducted by both space and ground based observatories have indicated the feature is not a cloud of dust but is a hole, or empty cavity, in the surrounding nebula. The origin and driving force responsible for the formation of this void is uncertain and is a subject of speculation.

The region below NGC 1999 contains a cluster of deeply embedded young stars. These objects were first recognized by Guillermo Haro and George Herbig around 1950 and today they are documented as the first listed Herbig-Haro objects - HH 1 and HH 2.

The arc of light which looks like a waterfall (located above and to the right of the center of the image) is the object HH 222. Unlike most other HH objects, it is a source of polarized, non-thermal radio waves. The nature of this feature remains largely unknown. From the upper-right to the lower-right of the image runs a long chain of Herbig-Haro objects associated with the object HH 34 - the compact bow shock located near the bottom of the waterfall.

Credit: NOIRLab media, Wikipedia and NASA APOD.

Taken over many nights: Nov 4, 7, 9, 16-17, 19, 23, 26, 26 and Dec 10, 2020.