TIME FOR SOME OOOOOOOOS AND AHHHHHHS THE GREAT ORION NEBULA

Time to sit back, take a deep breath, and think on things so beautiful, so magnificent, we cannot really grasp the size nor complexity.  And  Mother Nature does it all in her spare time.

 The heavens declare the glory of God;
       the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Psalm 19:1

Astronomy Picture of the Day

2008 October 23

 

Great Orion Nebulae
Credit & Copyright: Tony Halla

Explanation: The   Great Orion Nebulae , also known as M42, is one of the most famous nebulae in the sky. The star forming region's glowing gas clouds and hot young stars are on the right in this sharp and colorful  two frame mosaic that includes the smaller  nebula M43  near center and dusty, bluish reflection nebulae  NGC 1977 and friends on the left. Located at the edge of an otherwise invisible giant molecular cloud complex, these eye-catching nebulae represent only a small fraction of this galactic neighborhood's wealth of interstellar material. Within the well-studied stellar nursery, astronomers have also identified what appear to be numerous infant solar systems. The gorgeous skyscape spans nearly two degrees or about 45 light-years at the Orion Nebula's estimated distance of 1,500 light-years.  --NASA