The Orion Nebula photographed within the Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve on the South Island of New Zealand. Specialized "star tracker" camera mounts are used to allow for long exposures of deep space objects in the night sky, making images such as this one possible. The lack of light pollution in these dark skies allow for some of the best astrophotography opportunities in the world. Captured February 27, 2023.
The Orion Nebula, also known as M42, is visible with the naked eye even from areas affected by some light pollution. It is seen as the middle "star" in the "sword" of Orion, which are the three stars located south of Orion's Belt. The star appears fuzzy if viewed without any binoculars or telescope.
The M42 nebula is estimated to be 24 light years across and has a mass of about 2,000 times that of the Sun. To blow your mind even further, 24 light years is equivalent to 141,087,012,989,961 miles across. The nebula is an example of a stellar nursery where new stars are being born. Observations of the nebula have revealed approximately 700 stars in various stages of formation within the nebula.
The Orion Nebula is one of the most scrutinized and photographed objects in the night sky, and is among the most intensely studied celestial features. The nebula has revealed much about the process of how stars and planetary systems are formed from collapsing clouds of gas and dust.
The M83 Galaxy, also known as the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy, photographed within the Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve on the South Island of New Zealand. Specialized "star tracker" camera mounts are used to allow for long exposures of deep space objects in the night sky, making images such as this one possible. The lack of light pollution in these dark skies allow for some of the best astrophotography opportunities in the world. Captured February 27, 2023.
This galaxy is a barred spiral galaxy located in the southern constellation Hydra. It was first discovered by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in 1752 and is located approximately 15 million light-years away from Earth.
The M83 galaxy is a relatively large galaxy, with a diameter of approximately 40,000 light-years. It has a prominent central bar structure, which is believed to be responsible for the active star formation that occurs in the galaxy. The galaxy also has numerous star-forming regions, as well as a large number of young, bright stars.
In addition to its star-forming regions, the M83 galaxy is also home to a number of supernovae, including SN 1983N, which was one of the brightest supernovae of the 20th century. The galaxy has been extensively studied by astronomers, who have used observations of its properties to better understand the processes of star formation and galactic evolution.
