Orion Nebula

thumb|right|To many others it creates, as does no other vista of the heavens, the single overpowering impression of primeval chaos, and transports the imaginative observer back to the days of creation. ~ Robert Burnham Jr. The Orion Nebula (also known as Messier 42 or NGC 1976) is a diffuse nebula in the Milky Way situated south of Orion's Belt in the constellation of Orion, and is known as the middle "star" in the "sword" of Orion. It is one of the brightest nebulae and is visible to the naked eye in the night sky with an apparent magnitude of 4.0. Quotes This is the "Great Nebula in Orion", generally considered the finest example of a diffuse nebula in the sky, and one of the most wonderfully beautiful objects in the heavens. ... To many others it creates, as does no other vista of the heavens, the single overpowering impression of primeval chaos, and transports the imaginative observer back to the days of creation. This irresistible impression is more than a poetic fancy, as modern astrophysics now confirms, for the Orion Nebula is undoubtedly one of the regions in space where star formation is presently underway. Robert Burnham Jr. Burnham's Celestial Handbook: An Observer's Guide to the Universe Beyond the Solar System, Volume Two: Chamaeleon-Orion Revised & enlarged 1978 Dover Publications New York 9780486235684 registration https://archive.org/details/burnhamscelestia02robe 1317 External links Category:Astronomy