Explanation:
A lesser known sight in the
nebula-rich constellation Orion,
NGC 2174
can be found with binoculars near the head of the
celestial hunter.
About 6,400 light-years distant, the glowing cosmic cloud surrounds
loose clusters of young stars.
Covering an area larger than the full Moon on the sky,
this stunning
narrow band image adopts a typical color mapping of
the atomic emission from NGC 2174.
The false-color mapping
shows otherwise red hydrogen emission in green
hues and emphasizes sulfur emission in red and oxygen in blue.
Placing your cursor on the image will reveal an alternative image
of the nebula made through broad band
filters.
The broad band image combines filters in a
closer analogy
to human vision, dominated by the
red glow of hydrogen.
