Located in the
constellation of Orion is one of the most impressive sights in
the night sky. M42, also known as the Orion Nebula or the Great
Nebula of Orion, is a gigantic cloud of gas and dust over 30
light-years in diameter. It is located about 1,500 light-years
from the Earth. M42 is a site of active star formation, and the
stars within this nebula cause it to shine with a magnitude of
4. This makes it one of the few nebulae that can be seen with
the naked eye. The most famous of these stars is a small cluster
known as the Trapezium. A pair of binoculars will show the basic
structure of this nebula, while a small telescope will reveal
intricate details within its dusty lanes.
