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Barnard’s Loop

Sh2-276

Nebula complex in Orion

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Proper Name	Barnard's Loop
Messier Number	None
NGC/IC Number	None
Other Designations	Sh2-276
Constellation	Orion
Right Ascension (centre)	5h 27m 30s
Declination (centre)	-3° 58' 0"
Distance	Highly uncertain; between 500 and 1,400 light years (160 to 440 parsecs)
Magnitude	Apparent: +5.0 Absolute: -1.0 to -3.2, depending on distance
Mean Diameter	Apparent: 10° Actual: 100 to 300 light years, depending on distance
Optimum Visibility	December / January

A ring of matter that occupies the central region of Orion. It is thought to be caused by the active regions of Orion's Belt, and is immense in extent. It is more than two hundred light years across, and almost surrounds the famous shape of the Hunter in the night sky. The Loop is too faint to be detected with the naked eye.

This image of the southern parts of Orion is filtered to highlight ionised hydrogen, making Barnard's Loop stand out distinctly as a wide 'C'-shaped structure. The two bright areas within the Loop represent the Orion Nebula (to the south) and the complex nebulosity around the star Alnitak in Orion's Belt (to the north). Imagery provided by Aladin sky atlas

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