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Imager: Joe Stefaniak Object: M42/NGC1976 Name: Great Orion Nebula Type: Nebulae Constellation: Orion Site: Warwick, Orange County, New York, USA Date/Time:   Telescope: TeleVue NP127 Optical System: Not Known Mount: Losmandy G11 Mount Type: German Equatorial Camera: Starlight XPress MX916 Camera Type: Astro CCD Click Here For Larger Image         Object: Messier 42 is an enormous star forming region some 40 light years across made up of hot fluorescent gas, predominantly hydrogen, but with traces of helium, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen. It glows by the ultra violet radiation emitted from the so called 'Trapezium', four massive hot stars that form the Theta Orionis system. The stars that make up this system shine between magnitude 5 and 8, and are all young stars less than a million years old (our Sun is 4.5 billion years old). M42 lies about 4 degrees due south of Alnilam (the middle star in Orion's belt), and is unmistakable as a large cloud of nebulosity. In northern latitudes it is best seen during Winter evenings when it is high in the sky to the south (for those south of the equator it is a Summer constellation appearing high to the north).         Image:         Imager: I have been interested in astronomy since the age of 9 when my Mother got me my first small refractor. Growing up through the space missions of the 60's and 70's, I was always fascinated with space. In 1985 My Father got the family a B&L 8" SCT with a clock drive, that made viewing so much better. About 7 yrs ago I tried imaging with my wife's digital camera held up to an eyepiece, it worked and I was hooked, so began my obsession with astrophotography. I own a construction company and build houses during the day, I write an astronomy article for a local newspaper every month, and was featured in a local magazine. I am also a co-chairman for NEAIC.