M42,43

This is a region of star-forming gas in the prominent winter constellation, Orion. It can be seen with the naked eye and looks impressive through binoculars. Know as the Orion Nebula, it was designated as 42 in the French astronomer Messier's catalogue. M42 is the brighter nebula, M43 is just about visible immediately to the upper left edge of M42. Located some 1,300 light years away it is about 24 light years across.