That fuzzy splotch, visible to the naked eye when it is really dark (and easily seen through binoculars) is the Orion Nebula. Throughout the nebula (which is about 30 light years wide), we see a ...

The Orion Nebula has long been a focal point for astronomers studying the birth of stars. Visible to the naked eye under dark skies, it serves as a natural laboratory for understanding how stars ...

With a mass 2,000 times greater than the sun, and visible to the naked eye, the Orion Nebula is the closest massive star-forming region and is therefore one of the most scrutinized and ...

This Hubble mosaic is the highest resolution image ever made of the entire Crab Nebula, which is located 6,500 light-years away. These opaque, dark knots of gas and dust called "Bok globules" are ...

A general view of the Orion Nebula during the planet parade or planetary alignment when four planets are visible to the naked eye on the evening sky in Sparta N.C. on January 25, 2025.

This butterfly shaped nebula is the perfect target for the James Webb Space Telescope to learn more about star formation.

A general view of the Orion Nebula on Jan. 25 from Sparta, N.C., during the planet parade or planetary alignment when four planets are visible to the naked eye on the evening sky, as they move ...

The bright variable star V 372 Orionis takes center stage in this Hubble Space Telescope image, which has also captured a smaller companion star in the upper left of this image.

If you plan to stay up to watch the total lunar eclipse on Thursday, you won't need to do much to prepare like for a solar ...

The Orion Nebula, 1,344 light-years away, shines in vibrant colors and serves as a stellar nursery for new stars. The Helix Nebula, 650 light-years away, resembles a cosmic eye formed by a dying ...

Look for the Orion constellation and the Orion Nebula (Messier 42)—our solar system came from that direction." The increased dust from this galactic encounter could have had several effects.