Photograph
M42 in Orion
A cosmic nursery for the birth of new stars and planetary systems, located 1,344 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Orion. It is one of the brightest and most studied objects in the deep sky, with the young "Trapezium" star cluster shining at its core. Its powerful radiation causes the surrounding clouds of hydrogen, dust, and gas to glow in vibrant colors.
Beyond the frame
Near the bright center of M42, young stars are surrounded by flattened disks of gas and dust known as protoplanetary disks. Some of these may gradually develop into planetary systems. The nebula is therefore not only a place where stars are born, but also a laboratory where we can observe the earliest stages in the formation of worlds like our own.