About Orion Nebula (M42)

Orion Nebula is frequently observed by amateur astronomers and presents itself as a diffuse object. It is relatively bright.

Current visibility

Right now it is at about 25° altitude and reaches 85° around 01:59 PM.

It stays above 30° for roughly 8 hours.

Nebulae benefit from filters, contrast improves away from light pollution.

Observing tips

This makes it a good target for beginners.

What to expect

With larger apertures, more structure becomes visible.

Type

Diffuse Nebula

Constellation

Orion

Distance

1600 ly

Size

30.0'

Season

Winter

Difficulty

Very Easy

Magnitude

4