Observer's guide
About Orion Nebula
Orion Nebula (M42) is catalogued as a diffuse nebula in Orion. Its J2000 position is RA 05:35:16.48, Dec -05:23:22.8, corresponding to 83.8201 degrees RA and -5.3876 degrees Dec. The local catalogue places it about 1,600 light-years away. Its referenced angular extent is approximately 66 by 66 arcminutes.
Observing tips
This is rated as a very easy target at magnitude 4. It is associated with winter observing, with midnight placement typically strongest around December. From 52 degrees north its theoretical meridian altitude is about 32.6 degrees; local horizons and the live altitude chart determine the practical window.
Its brightness makes it a practical binocular or small-telescope candidate when it is well above the horizon.
What to expect
The SIMBAD classification for the matched source is HII. A published radial velocity value is 27.8 km/s. The SIMBAD record currently connects it to 4475 bibliographic references.
At roughly 66 arcminutes across, it favors a wide-field imaging setup. Use the listed 66 by 66 arcminute extent to check framing, and treat catalogue magnitude as integrated brightness rather than a direct measure of visual contrast.