Image 5-2
Great Nebula of Orion

This amazing image represents the most detailed view ever recorded of the famous Orion Nebula. Located in the constellation Orion, this nebula is a gigantic cloud of gas and dust where stars are in the process of forming. Stars inside the nebula excite the gas and cause it to glow. Astronomers refer to these regions as stellar nurseries. Stars near the center of the nebula have been observed with disks of material circling them. These are new solar systems in the process of being born. The Orion Nebula is estimated to be 24 light years across and is located about 1,500 light years from Earth.