Friday, October 20, 2006

Orion: The Big Picture

Credit & Copyright: J. C. Casado

Explanation: Orion is big. Some of the stars that form the constellation of Orion are part of a giant gas cloud complex that stretches over 100 light years and appears more than 50 times the diameter of the Moon. Components of this cloud include the Horsehead Nebula, the Orion Nebula, the Trapezium open cluster, and small disks containing stellar systems which are just forming. At 1500 light years, Orion is the closest star forming region to Earth. Close inspection of the photo's center should reveal the three stars which form the belt of Orion.

2 comments:

tn said...

When I lie down on the ground, in the middle of the forest, and look at the sky, the greatest feeling I've had is knowing that all of the stars and galaxies are under me.

We're just glued to the earth, and we're looking down. At least, it's another way to look at the sky. The picture gives the same vertigo effect. Thanks for posting.

Stardust said...

dt - that's a different way of looking at things. We always assume we are looking up, when in actuality "up" is just our perspective. Actually, there is no up or down in the universe except from our own perspectives from our personal location.