The Great Nebula in Orion

The Great Nebula in Orion, also known as M42, is a massive cloud of gas and dust located approximately 1,350 light-years away. It is a stellar nursery where new stars are born. Within this nebula, intense gravity causes regions to collapse and form young stars and star clusters. The bright glow we see is primarily from hydrogen gas illuminated by these young, hot stars. M42 is one of the closest and most spectacular star-forming regions visible to the naked eye in the constellation Orion, offering valuable insights into the process of star creation.