Hubble Views the Trapezium Cluster in the Orion Nebula M42

Orion Nebula M42 Hubble pictures: Trapezium Core, Proplyd Disk HST 10, Gallery of 6 star-disk systems, Full Trapezium Region, Central Trapezium.
Other Hubble pictures of M42: Pre-repair, Proplyd discovery (June 1994), newer (November 1995), May 1997 (OMC 1 with NIC), August 2000 (Trapezium in IR), April 2001 (Proplyds under hot radiation).

Click on the images to see the larger versions.

The Trapezium Core

The core of the Trapezium showing the four energetic massive stars and a plethora of Sun-like stars with surrounding extended emission. The Trapezium is located in the center of the Orion nebula seen here as a blue background glow. Note how the material surrounding the Sun-like stars produces a cometary structure with a bright head and a tail pointing directly away from the energetic central massive stars.

This false color mosaic was made by combining multiple Hubble Space Telescope images.

HST 10 and Company

A false color image of the teardrop shaped HST 10 star-disk system and immediate neighbors, a silhouetted disk (top left) and a second star-disk system (bottom right). At the center of HST 10 lies a dark nearly edge on disk with a diameter approximately the same as Pluto's orbit. Surrounding the system is diffuse hot gas which has been evaporated from the disk surface. We are witnessing the destruction of a circumstellar disk which if otherwise left alone would be a strong candidate for producing planets.

This false color image was produced by combining three Hubble Space Telescope images.

A Gallery of Star-Disk Systems

A gallery of star-disk systems in Orion's Trapezium. The first four objects are being evaporated by the central massive stars, while the last two disks are visible in silhouette against the background nebula.

This false color image was produced by combining Hubble Space Telescope images.

The Full Trapezium Region

An extended view of the Trapezium showing the four energetic massive stars and a plethora of Sun-like stars with surrounding extended emission. The Trapezium is located in the center of the Orion nebula seen here as a blue background glow. Note how the material surrounding the Sun-like stars produces a cometary structure with a bright head and a tail pointing directly away from the energetic central massive stars.

This false color mosaic was made by combining multiple Hubble Space Telescope images. Full Resolution Image

Central Trapezium

The center of the Trapezium cluster showing the four massive energetic stars and a number of evaporating proto-planetary disks.

These two false color mosaics were made by combining multiple Hubble Space Telescope images.