Explanation:
Yesterday's skyscape featured
Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka,
the stars of
Orion's Belt.
Today's also presents the easternmost belt star, Alnitak, at the
bottom right of the field, surrounded by the well-known
Horsehead
and Flame nebulae.
But this view sweeps
farther to the east (left) and north (top)
detailing subtler cosmic clouds of gas and dust scattered through
the fertile, nebula rich region.
The scene is anchored at the top left by the eerie
blue glow
and ominous dark dust lanes of
reflection
nebula M78.
Like the Horsehead, the Flame, and the
Orion Nebula itself,
M78 is a readily visible part of the large
Orion
Molecular Cloud complex some 1,500 light-years distant.
digg_url = 'http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090211.html'; digg_skin = 'compact';
