Shown in this photo are the dark Horsehead Nebula and the glowing Orion Nebula. These are "contrasting comic vistas". They are located 1,500 light-years away in one of the most recognizable constellations in the night sky. The Horsehead Nebula appears as a dark cloud in the lower left hand corner of the photo. The brightest star to the left of the Horsehead is Alnitak, the easternmost star in Orion's belt. The Flame Nebula lies below Alnitak and it has clouds of bright emission and dark dust lanes. The Orion Nebula, known as the emission region, is seen in the upper right hand corner of this photo. To the left lies the "Running Man" which is a bluish reflection nebula. There are tendrils of glowing hydrogen gas that are easily traced throughout the region.
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