January 17, 2024
At 8:30 pm, the constellation Orion should be clearly visible in the southeastern sky. This constellation hosts the Orion Nebula, which is the closest star forming region to us at only 1,500 light-years away. Due to its proximity to Earth, it is possible to see this nebula with the naked eye. It is located just below Orion’s belt, often described as the middle “star” in the hunter’s sword.
A Hubble image of the Orion Nebula. Image credit: NASA, ESA, M. Robberto (Space Telescope Science Institute/ESA) and the Hubble Space Telescope Orion Treasury Project Team
