Ic434

Here’s a fresh view showing both the Horsehead Nebula and the Flame Nebula, two celestial showpieces that are located quite close to each other in the constellation Orion.

The Horsehead Nebula consists of a cloud of ionized gas lit from within by young, hot stars; a dark cloud containing interstellar dust lies immediately in front. The dust absorbs the light from part of the ionized cloud. A portion of this dark cloud has a shape somewhat resembling a horse’s head. The nebula is located 1,300 light-years from the Sun.