The Orion Nebula was first discovered by French astronomer Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc in 1610 (although there is speculation it was discovered by the Mayans). Stars are born here, as clouds of hydrogen contract under their own gravity and when hot enough nuclear fission ignites to form a protostar. Containing around 700 stars, the nebula is near the second star in the sword of Orion's Belt, it rises above the horizon to the east around 1am. The Nebula is around 1400 light years away, you would have to travel at the speed of light for 1400 years to get there . Light takes 24 years to get from one side of the Nebula to the other, (it takes 8 min for light to reach us from the sun). The red colour is hydrogen, the blue is reflected radiation from the huge stars in the centre of the nebula.

Taken with my 7 inch telescope from County Clare.