Flame Nebula (NGC 2024) and Horse Head Nebula

Horse Head and Flame Nebula

The Flame Nebula, designated as NGC 2024 and Sh2-277, is an emission nebula in the constellation Orion. It is about 900 to 1,500 light-years away.

The Horsehead Nebula (also known as Barnard 33 in emission nebula IC 434) is a dark nebula in the constellation Orion. The nebula is located just to the south of the star Alnitak, which is farthest east on Orion’s Belt, and is part of the much larger Orion Molecular Cloud Complex. The nebula was first recorded in 1888 by Scottish astronomer Williamina Fleming on photographic plate B2312 taken at the Harvard College Observatory. The Horsehead Nebula is approximately 1500 light years from Earth. It is one of the most identifiable nebulae because of the shape of its swirling cloud of dark dust and gases, which bears some resemblance to a horse’s head when viewed from Earth

horsehead-flame-100mn-8fms-1600iso crop
Image above is heavily edited in Photoshop CS6 to improve the contrast but alters the natural color.

Update

Flame Nebula (NGC 2024) and Horse Head Nebula
Flame Nebula (NGC 2024) and Horse Head Nebula
Flame and Horsehead Nebula
Flame and Horsehead Nebula

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