Orion's Belt Continued

Explanation: Yesterday's skyscape featured Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka, the stars of Orion's Belt . Today's also presents the easternmost belt star, Alnitak, at the bottom right of the field, surrounded by the well-known Horsehead and Flame nebulae. But this view sweeps farther to the east (left) and north (top) detailing subtler cosmic clouds of gas and dust scattered through the fertile , nebula rich region. The scene is anchored at the top left by the eerie blue glow and ominous dark dust lanes of reflection nebula M78 . Like the Horsehead, the Flame, and the Orion Nebula itself , M78 is a readily visible part of the large Orion Molecular Cloud complex some 1,500 light-years distant.