Messier 42: The Orion Nebula
Taken by Tom Wildoner on January 20, 2026 @
Weatherly, PA, USA
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Camera Used: Unavailable Unavailable
Exposure Time: Unavailable
Aperture: Unavailable
ISO: Unavailable
Date Taken: 2026:02:06 14:17:56
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Details:
Messier 42 (also known as M42 or NGC 1976) is a massive, diffuse nebula located approximately 1,344 light-years away in the constellation Orion. It is the nearest region of massive star formation to Earth and is so bright that it is visible to the naked eye as the "fuzzy" middle star in Orion’s Sword. At the heart of the nebula lies the Trapezium Cluster, a group of six hot, young stars whose intense ultraviolet radiation ionizes the surrounding gas, causing it to glow with brilliant colors. This "stellar nursery" is a crucial laboratory for astronomers, as it contains hundreds of young stars and over 150 protoplanetary disks (proplyds) that represent the earliest stages of solar system formation.
🔭 Technical Details:
Telescope: Meade 12” LX-90 SCT with Antares Focal Reducer
Camera: ZWO ASI2600MC (cooled to -20°F)
Mount: Celestron CGX-L pier mounted
Capture: 1h 8m total exposure (60s subs) via ASIAir Pro
Location: The Dark Side Observatory (W59), Weatherly, PA (Bortle 4)
Processing: PixInsight & DeepSkyStacker
Image Date: January 20, 2026.
Photographer's website:
https://www.thedarksideobservatory.com
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