Horsehead Nebula
Barnard 33
2019
dec 27
The Horsehead Nebula, designated as Barnard 33, is a dark nebula located in the constellation Orion. It is a prominent and easily recognizable feature in the night sky due to its distinctive shape, which resembles the head of a horse.
The Horsehead Nebula is situated just south of the star Alnitak, which is one of the three bright stars forming Orion's Belt. It is part of a larger complex of gas and dust known as the Orion Molecular Cloud, which is a rich region of star formation.
Exposure
4 HOUR 16 MINUTES
The dark appearance of the Horsehead Nebula is caused by a dense cloud of dust and gas that obscures the light from the background emission nebula IC 434. The cloud blocks the light emitted by ionized hydrogen gas and other emission sources behind it, creating the silhouette of the horse's head against the glowing backdrop.
