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Horsehead Nebula
Barnard 33

Proper Name
Horsehead Nebula

NGC/IC Number
Associated with IC 434

Other Designations
Barnard 33

Constellation
Orion

Right Ascension
5h 41m 00s

Declination
-2° 28' 4"

Distance
c.1,550 light years
c.475 parsecs

Dimensions
Apparent: 1° 6' x 4'
Actual: 2.7 x 1.8 light years

Optimum Visibility
January

A famous dark nebula in the constellation of Orion. A plume of obscuring dust takes a form very reminiscent of a horse's head, dark against a glowing background.

This plume of dark material makes up one of the most recognisable objects in the night sky - the Horsehead Nebula in Orion. The horsehead shape is visible against the glowing pink of the emission nebula IC 434.

The famous dark Horsehead Nebula lies in the central regions of Orion. It is closely associated with Alnitak, the eastern star of Orion's Belt, and with nearby Sigma Orionis.

Large-scale view of the Horsehead Nebula

A view of the sky around the Horsehead Nebula. The dark shape of a horse's head is silhouetted against the red-pink nebula IC 434, near Alnitak in Orion's Belt (shown to the left of the nebula in this view).

Relative Galactic Position of the Horsehead Nebula

Like our Sun, the Horsehead Nebula lies in that part of the Galactic spiral known as the Orion Arm. It forms part of a complex collection of nebulae scattered throughout this part of the Galaxy, centred in the constellation of Orion.

Indexes

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Related Entries

Alnilam

IC 434

Orion

Orion's Belt