Horsehead Nebula
April 27, 2007
Provided and copyright by: Greg Parker, University of Southampton, U.K.
Summary authors & editors: Greg Parker
This wide field image of the Horsehead region near the bright star Alnitak in the belt of Orion was taken from the New Forest Observatory, Brockenhurst, England. It was processed by Noel Carboni. The Horsehead Nebula is at center -- click on for a large view. This photo results from a continuing international internet collaboration for the creation of high resolution deep-sky images. The region of space where the Horsehead Nebula is found is quite unique in that it has all of the major types of nebulae; the blue reflection nebulae, the Horsehead Nebula itself (a dark nebula that indeed resembles a horse's head), and behind the Horsehead is the deep red emission nebula (ionised hydrogen -- emitting light at 656 nm. This is possibly the most photographed region of the Heavens - and with good reason.
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