M42 and M43, together with NGCs 1973-5-7, are the bright reddish nebulae below the middle of our image and with Orion's sword stars between them. Near the left-most belt star, Zeta, the Horsehead Nebula region (IC 434, NGCs 2024, and 2023) is prominent, with the Horsehead well visible overlaid on the left side of IC 434. Going up and leftward from Zeta, one arrives at a blueish-white nebulous patch close to the left edge and about 20 percent below the upper edge of the image; this is M78.
Last Modification: June 27, 1998