One of the most recognizable constellations in the northern and southern hemispheres of the sky. Eight bright stars outline the hunter Orion from ancient Greek mythology. A very saturated area of the sky on a nebula and an area with active star formation. In separate groups of stars, several are taken out, which we know from childhood by name: Orion's Belt, Orion's Sword, Orion's Shield, and so on.
Legend and history
If you turn your gaze to the near-equatorial region on the strip Milky Way, then you can easily find the constellation. The name comes from the daughter of King Minos of Crete and the son of Poseidon. Orion was famous for his strength and courage in hunting. His goal was to destroy all the animals on Earth. Sparing no one, he confidently walked towards his goal. The goddess of the Earth Gaia, angry, turned to the goddess of nature and animals Artemis to help stop Orion. Artemis unleashed a poisonous Scorpion, which mortally wounded the hunter with one bite. Soon after his death, the gods transferred Orion to heaven, and placed his dog not far - Sirius.
Characteristics
| Latin name | Orion |
| Reduction | Ori |
| Square | 594 sq. degrees (26th place) |
| right ascension | From 4 h 37 m to 6 h 18 m |
| declination | From −11° to +22° 50′ |
| The brightest stars< 3 m) | |
| Number of stars brighter than 6 m | 120 |
| meteor showers |
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| neighboring constellations | |
| constellation visibility | +79° to -67° |
| Hemisphere | North-South |
| Time for observation on the territory Belarus, Russia and Ukraine | winter months |
The most interesting objects to observe in the constellation Orion
Atlas of the constellation Orion
First, let's look at deep-sky objects in the southern part of the constellation Orion (from Orion's Belt and below), and then switch to the northern ones.
Why beat around the bush, perhaps, let's start our acquaintance with the most curious area in the constellation Orion - Orion Nebulae or M42. This is the one that is visible even to the naked eye on winter evenings as a small, but with characteristic outlines, foggy speck.
M42- gas and dust nebula, which is located under the belt of Orion, or rather near the star Θ Orion. This nebula is included in an even larger gas and dust region, which occupies most of the entire constellation. The distance to it is 1300 light years. In this nebula, the process of active star formation is going on, most of the young stars belong to spectral class O and age does not exceed 150-200 thousand years. In terms of area, the Orion Nebula is approximately equal to 1 °, it is very clearly visible even in an amateur telescope and does not require large magnifications for detailed study.
If you look closely, you can see in the center of the nebula 4 bright and young stars that resemble a trapezoid in shape. These are hot class O and B stars.
Above the Trapeze, in the northern part of M 42, a dark band of interstellar dust is noticeable - this is a separate object in the Messier catalog M43.
2. De Meran Nebula (M 43 or NGC 1982)
M43- a region of active star formation, ionized hydrogen, located directly above the Orion Nebula M42. It got its name in honor of the French astronomer, geophysicist Jean-Jacques de Merana The that opened this object.
M43 is part of the Great Nebula of Orion, which is usually observed during the winter months in conjunction with M42.
Both nebulae are searched elementarily: we find Orion's belt, consisting of three stars ( Alnitak, Alnilam, Mintaka) and drop perpendicularly a couple of degrees lower. On the atlas in red rectangle circled the desired objects:
Southern part of the constellation Orion
I will add that north of M43 three more nebulae lurk NGC 1973, NGC 1975 and NGC 1977(often seen alternative title- "Running Man"). As a rule, all these "charms" look at once.
The image above perfectly shows the location of the cluster. NGC 1981- right above the Great Nebula of Orion. The brightness of the cluster is 4.6 m, it has about 20 stars and the area occupies a little more than 25 ′. Part NGC 1981 includes 3 double stars: HIP 26234, HIP 26257 and V1046, the brightness of whose components are approximately equal to 6 m and 8 m . In binoculars and a telescope with a wide-angle eyepiece and a small magnification, three examined objects can be placed in one field of view. A truly beautiful sight. The most powerful telescopes make it possible to view the reflection nebula against the background of the cluster, which still remains due to the formation of new stars.
In the previous atlas red rectangle this open cluster is also enclosed.
4. The Flame Nebula (NGC 2024) and the Horsehead Nebula (IC 434)
NGC 2024 with an area of 30′ is a small part of the nebula that surrounds the extreme star of Orion's Belt Alnitak. Horsehead Nebula ( IC 434) above it is considered one of the most recognizable and popular dark nebulae. It can be found on the covers of astronomical books, magazines, as a dark silhouette of a horse's head against a red glow. The object is extremely difficult to observe even in powerful 300 mm telescopes. Perfect weather, an aperture telescope, great patience and the absence of the Moon in the sky (after all, it so often hides diffuse nebulae under its rays).
I specifically took out this section of the constellation separately and I bring it below, for general clarity and completeness of the picture:
M78- a gaseous nebula with a brightness of 8.3 m and an angular size of 8'×6'. Consists of three interconnected objects: NGC 2064, NGC 2067 and NGC 2071. An extremely faint nebula that requires ideal night sky conditions and no city glare to observe. No matter how closely I tried to examine it in a 254 mm telescope, I could not see any additional details and features, except for a small foggy cloud.
Pay attention to Orion's Belt - slowly raising the telescope you will meet a triple of dim stars, slightly moving the telescope counterclockwise will appear in the field of view of the eyepiece M78. On the atlas published a little higher, in one of the yellow rectangles, you can see the desired nebula.
Very faint (9 m) open cluster NGC 2112 includes no more than 50 stars of 10 - 12 magnitude with a total area of 11′. Having met and admired the nebula M78 we move the telescope a little more to the left and we meet this cluster. On the atlas of the southern part of Orion above, I also highlighted it with a yellow rectangle.
The following deep skys belong to the northern objects of the constellation Orion:
Somehow away from all the objects of Orion, almost on the border with the constellation, there is a small but pretty cluster of stars NGC 1662. Pay attention to the photos above, how the colors of the stars clearly differ: from orange cooled giants to blue stars heated to 80 - 100 thousand degrees. The apparent dimensions of the cluster are slightly larger than 12′. The cluster looks great even in an amateur telescope, it is recommended to use a wide-angle eyepiece for observation. Apparent stellar magnitude - 6.4 m.
Looking for NGC 1662 from the Shield of Orion, or, more precisely, from the bright star Tabit (3.15 m).
8. Emission Nebula NGC 2174 and Open Cluster NGC 2175
The northernmost deep sky objects in the constellation Orion are the nebula NGC 2174 and congestion NGC 2175, which are located above the hunter's club, not far from the constellation. If there are no problems with an open cluster with a brightness of 6.8 m, it can be examined in detail in an amateur telescope and count a couple of dozen stars, then some difficulties will arise with an emission nebula. As always, ideal conditions for observation and a keen eye are required. The vast majority of photographs seen on the Internet are subject to post-processing and in this form you will not be able to see the nebula for sure, but you can still see something with a powerful 250mm + telescope. By the way, in some sources the nebula NGC 2174 called monkey head, although similarities are unlikely to be found here.
Below is a map of the northern part of Orion, where orange arrow and marked the desired objects with a rectangle:
My favorite cluster of stars in this constellation is NGC 2169. It has a memorable shape, has about two dozen stars of 8 - 9 magnitude, has a total brightness of 5.9 m and an angular size of slightly more than 7 ′. Despite its small size, it is very easy to search for, because two stars of 4 magnitude ξ and ν Orion are located above it. In a telescope, even at magnifications of 70x, it fits completely into the 60 ° field of view of the eyepiece and looks very interesting.
On the star atlas above noted green arrows.
80 cluster stars NGC 2194 with a total brightness of 8.5 m and an area of 10' are a very interesting sight. On the one hand, at low magnifications, the cluster at first glance resembles a globular one, but by adding a magnification of up to 70 - 100 times and using a wide-angle eyepiece, there is an excellent opportunity to walk around the starry city. At magnifications of 100+ times, it is possible to consider the different shades of each of the stars separately and enjoy all the grandeur of this cluster.
And again from the stars ξ and ν Orion, only by the yellow arrows we find NGC 2194. In an optical finder (usually 8 - 9 times), the cluster will look like a massive, slightly blurry spot.
11. Open star cluster NGC 2141
A very faint cluster (9.4 m) contains about 100 stars that strongly merge with background stars and often do not give a complete picture when observed. On the image NGC 2141 it is noticeable that some stars at the edges have a high brightness, these are young blue giants.
It is strongly recommended to start the search from the star Betelgeuse and raise the telescope tube higher and higher, along the way you will meet a star of the 4th magnitude μ Orion, and then the desired cluster. The route is marked on the atlas above. red arrows.
Perhaps, NGC 2186- the smallest and most difficult to detect open cluster of Orion. You can count several dozen stars of 14 - 17 magnitudes. The brightness of the cluster is 8.7 m , the angular size is about 5'.
The search should start from the largest star Betelgeuse and move counterclockwise along the route shown below:
Multiple star systems
13.1 Optical binary star Rigel (β Orionis)
The optical binary system Rigel is considered one of the brightest stars in the northern hemisphere of the sky. The brightness of the main component is 0.15 m, and its smaller component (although this is not a component: the distance between them is about 2200 astronomical units.) 6.8 m. The distance between the stars is slightly more than 7″. Due to strong light main star to observe the weakest star, a telescope with an aperture of 130 mm or more is required.
13.2 Multiple star Alnitak (ζ Orionis)
The multiple star system Alnitak consists of three components: a blue supergiant, a giant star, and a small star, which was discovered only in 1998. The distance between the main component and the other pair of stars is 2.5″, which excludes the possibility of seeing a pair of stars in telescopes with an aperture of up to 150 mm.
. > Orion| An object | Designation | Meaning of the name | Object type | magnitude |
| 1 | M41 | "Small Hive" | open cluster | 4.00 |
| 2 | M43 | "De Meran's Nebula" | emission nebula | 9.00 |
| 3 | M78 | Not | reflection nebula | 8.30 |
| 4 | Betelgeuse | "Gemini's Hand" | red supergiant | 0.50 |
| 5 | Rigel | "Leg" | Blue-white supergiant | 0.13 |
| 6 | Bellatrix (Gamma Orion) | "Warrior" | White-blue giant | 1.64 |
| 7 | Alnilam (Epsilon Orionis) | "String of Pearls" | blue supergiant | 1.69 |
| 8 | Alnitak (Zeta Orionis) | "Eastern End of the Belt" | blue supergiant | 1.77 |
| 9 | Saif (Kappa Orion) | "Giant's Sword" | blue supergiant | 2.09 |
| 10 | Mintaka (Delta Orion) | "Western End of the Belt" | double star | 2.23 |
| 11 | Nair al Saif (Iota of Orion) | "First Brightest of the Sword" | blue giant | 2.77 |
| 12 | Pi 3 Orion | Not | yellow-white dwarf | 3.16 |
| 13 | This Orion | Not | Multiple star system | 3.42 |
| 14 | Meissa (Lambda Orionis) | "Searching Star" | White-blue giant | 3.54 |
| 15 | Pi 4 Orion | Not | double star | 3.67 |
| 16 | Sigma Orion | Not | Multiple star system | 3.80 |
| 17 | Pi 5 Orion | Not | White-blue giant | 3.90 |
| 18 | Omicron 2 Orion | Not | white dwarf | 4.09 |
| 19 | Mu Orionis | Not | Multiple star system | 4.30 |
| 20 | Pi 2 Orion | Not | white dwarf | 4.35 |
| 21 | Chi 1 Orion | Not | double star | 4.39 |
| 22 | Nu Orion | Not | Triple star system | 4.42 |
| 23 | Xi Oriona | Not | White-blue dwarf | 4.45 |
| 24 | Tabit (Upsilon of Orion) | Not | blue subgiant | 4.62 |
| 25 | Chi 2 Orion | Not | Blue-white supergiant | 4.63 |
| 26 | Pi 1 Orion | Not | white dwarf | 4.64 |
| 27 | Pi 6 Orion | Not | orange giant | 4.70 |
| 28 | Omicron 1 Orion | Not | red giant | 4.75 |
Explore the circuit constellation Orion near the celestial equator: a quart of the starry sky, description with photo, bright stars, Betelgeuse, Orion's belt, facts, myth, legend.
Orion is one of the brightest and most popular constellations located on the celestial equator. It was known about in antiquity. It was also called the Hunter, because it has a connection with mythology and reflects the hunter Orion. Often he is depicted standing in front of a Taurus or chasing a Hare with two dogs (Big Dog and Small Dog).
The constellation Orion contains two of the ten brightest stars - and, as well as the known (M42), (M43) and. Also here you can find the Trapezoid cluster and one of the most noticeable asterisms - Orion's Belt.
Facts, position and map of the constellation Orion
With an area of 594 square degrees, the constellation Orion ranks 26th in size. Covers the first quadrant in the northern hemisphere (NQ1). It can be found in latitudes from +85° to -75°. Adjacent to , and .
| Orion | |
|---|---|
| Lat. title | Orion |
| Reduction | Ori |
| Symbol | Orion |
| right ascension | from 4 h 37 m to 6 h 18 m |
| declination | -11° to +22° 50’ |
| Square | 594 sq. degrees (26th place) |
| brightest stars (value< 3 m ) |
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| meteor showers |
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| neighboring constellations |
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| The constellation is visible at latitudes from +79° to -67°. The best time to watch is January. |
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Holds 3 Messier objects: (M42, NGC 1976), (M43, NGC 1982) and (M78, NGC 2068), as well as 7 stars with planets. The brightest star is , whose visual magnitude reaches 0.18. In addition, it ranks 6th in brightness among all stars. The second star is (0.43), which is in the 8th position in the general list. There are two meteor showers: the Orionids (October 21st) and the Chi Orionids. The constellation is included in the Orion group along with, and. Consider the diagram of the constellation Orion on the map of the starry sky.
The myth of the constellation Orion
you need to explain the history and name of the constellation Orion. Hunter Orion was considered the most beautiful man. This is the son of Poseidon and Euryale (daughter of Minos). Homer in The Odyssey described him as tall and indestructible. In one of the stories, Orion fell in love with the Pleiades (7 sisters and daughters of Atlas and Pleione). Moreover, he began to pursue them. Zeus decided to hide them in the sky in the constellation Taurus. But even now you can see that the hunter continues to follow them.
In another myth, the object of his adoration was Merope (daughter of King Oenopols), who did not reciprocate. Once he got drunk and tried to woo her by force. Then the enraged king blinded him and drove him out of his lands. Hephaestus took pity on the man and sent one of his assistants to him to replace his eyes. One day Orion met the Oracle. He said that his sight would return if he arrived in the east by sunrise. And the miracle happened.
The Sumerians knew about Orion from the myth of Gilgamesh. They had their own hero, forced to fight with the heavenly bull (Taurus - GUD AN-NA). They called Orion URU AN-NA - "light of heaven".
In the cards he was often depicted as fighting with a bull, but this plot does not exist in mythology. Ptolemy described him as a hero with a club and the skin of a lion, which is usually associated with Hercules. But since the constellation itself is not too noticeable, and Hercules had a feat with a bull, sometimes they see a connection between them.
Almost all stories about his death contain a scorpion. In one of them, Orion boasted to Artemis and her mother Leto that he could destroy any earthly creature. Then she sent a scorpion to him, which killed him with deadly poison. Or he tried to win the love of Artemis and then she also sent a scorpion. In another tale, Orion died of poison in an attempt to save Leto. Whatever the version, the ending is the same - a scorpion sting. Both hit the sky, and Orion goes beyond the horizon in the west, as if running away from his killer.
But there is another story. Artemis fell in love with a hunter. But Apollo did not want her to give up her chastity. He gave her a bow and arrows and told her to shoot at a small target. She did not know that she was Orion, and killed the desired man.
Orion is popular in many cultures. AT South Africa three stars are called "Three Kings" or "Three Sisters", and in Spain - "Three Marys". In Babylon, Orion was called MUL.SIPA.ZI.AN.NA (Heavenly Shepherd), and in later bronze age associated with the god Anu. The Egyptians believed that before them was Osiris (the god of death). It was also portrayed by the Fifth Dynasty pharaoh Unas, who ate the flesh of his enemies to become great. After his death, he went to heaven in the guise of Orion.
The pharaohs were perceived as gods by their subordinates, which is why most of the pyramids (in Giza) are built to represent the constellation. Among the Aztecs, the rise of stars in the sky symbolized the beginning of the ceremony of the New Fire. This ritual was necessary, as it pushed back the date of the end of the world.
In the myths of Hungary, it was Nimrod, a hunter and father of the twins Hunor and Magor. The Scandinavians saw in him the goddess Freya, and in China - Shen (hunter and warrior). In the second millennium BC. there was a legend created by the Hittites. This is a story about the goddess Anat, who fell in love with a hunter. He refused to lend her his bow, so she sent a man to steal it. But he failed and dropped it into the sea. That is why the constellation falls below the horizon for two months in spring.
The main stars of the constellation Orion
Explore the bright stars in the constellation Orion with detailed description, photo and characteristic.
Rigel(Beta Orionis) is a blue supergiant (B8lab) located at 772.51 light years. It exceeds the solar brightness by 85,000 times and occupies 17 masses. It is a faint and irregular variable star whose brightness varies from 0.03 to 0.3 magnitudes over 22-25 days.
The apparent visual magnitude is 0.18 (brightest in the constellation and 6th in the sky). This is a star system represented by three objects. In 1831 F.G. Struve measured it as a visual binary surrounded by a gas envelope.
Rigel A is 500 times brighter than Rigel B, which itself is a spectroscopic binary of magnitude 6.7. It is represented by a pair of main sequence stars (B9V) with an orbital period of 9.8 days.
The star is connected by neighboring dust clouds, which illuminates. Among them, IC 2118 (the Witch's Head Nebula) is a faint reflection nebula located 2.5 degrees northwest of Rigel in the constellation Eridanus.
It is a member of the Taurus-Orion R1 association. Some believe that it would fit perfectly into the Orion OB1 Association, but the star is too close to us. Age - 10 million years. One day, she transforms into a red supergiant, reminiscent of Betelgeuse.
The name is derived from the Arabic phrase Riǧl Ǧawza al-Yusra, meaning "left foot". Riegel Notes left leg Orion. Also in Arabic it was called il al-Shabbar - "the foot of the great."
Betelgeuse(Alpha Orion, 58 Orion) is a red supergiant (M2lab) with a visual magnitude of 0.42 (the second brightest in the constellation) and a distance of 643 light years. The absolute value is -6.05.
Recent discoveries show that the star emits more light than 100,000 suns, making it brighter than most stars in its class. Therefore, we can say that the classification is outdated.
Its apparent diameter ranges from 0.043 to 0.056 arc seconds. It is very difficult to say more precisely, because the star periodically changes its shape due to the enormous loss of mass.
It is a semi-regular variable star whose apparent magnitude ranges from 0.2 to 1.2 (sometimes eclipsing Rigel). John Herschel first noticed this in 1836. Age - 10 million years, and this is not enough for a red supergiant. It is believed that it developed very quickly due to its huge mass. In the next million years, it will explode as a supernova. During this event, it can be seen even during the day (it will shine brighter than the Moon and become the brightest in the history of supernovae).
Included in two asterisms: the Winter Triangle (together with Sirius and Procyon) and the Winter Hexagon (Aldebaran, Capella, Pollux, Castor, Sirius and Procyon).
The name is a corruption of the Arabic phrase "Yad al-Jawza" - "the hand of Orion", which became "Betlegez" when translated into medieval Latin. Moreover, the first Arabic letter was mistaken for b, which led to the name “Bait al-Jauzā" ”-“ the house of Orion ”in the Renaissance. It turns out that due to one mistake, modern name stars.
Bellatrix(Gamma Orionis, 24 Orions) is a hot, luminous blue-white giant (B2 III) with apparent magnitude fluctuations from 1.59 to 1.64 and a distance of 240 light years. It is one of the hottest stars visible to the naked eye. Releases 6400 times more sunlight and occupies 8-9 of its masses. In a few million years, it will become an orange giant, after which it will transform into a massive white dwarf.
It is sometimes referred to as the "Star of the Amazon". It ranks 3rd in brightness in the constellation and 27th in the sky. The name comes from the Latin "warrior woman".
Orion's Belt: Mintaka, Alnilam and Alnitak (Delta, Epsilon and Zeta)
Orion's belt is one of the most famous asterisms in the night sky. It is formed by three bright stars: Mintaka (Delta), Alnilam (Epsilon) and Alnitak (Zeta).
Mintaka(Delta Orionis) is an eclipsing binary variable. The main object is a binary star consisting of a B-type giant and a hot O-type star with an orbital period of 5.63 days. They outshine each other, reducing brightness by 0.2 magnitudes. At 52" from them is a star of magnitude 7 and a faint star of 14.
The system is 900 light years away. The brightest components are 90,000 times brighter than the Sun and occupy more than 20 of its masses. They both end their lives in supernova explosions. In order of brightness, the apparent magnitudes of the components are 2.23 (3.2/3.3), 6.85 and 14.0.
The name comes from the Arabic word manţaqah - "region". It is the weakest star in Orion's belt and the 7th brightest star in the constellation.
Alnilam(Epsilon Orioni, 46 Orioni) is a hot, bright blue supergiant (B0) with an apparent magnitude of 1.70 and a distance of 1300 light years. It is ranked fourth in brightness in the constellation and 30th in the sky. Occupies a central place in the belt. Emits 375,000 solar luminosities.
Surrounding it is the NGC 1990 nebula, a molecular cloud. The stellar wind reaches speeds of 2000 km/s. Age - 4 million years. The star is losing mass, so the internal fusion of hydrogen is coming to an end. Very soon it will turn into a red supergiant (brighter than Betelgeuse) and explode as a supernova. The name from Arabic "an-niżām" is translated as "string of pearls".
Alnitak(Zeta Orionis, 50 Orionis) is a multiple star system with an apparent magnitude of 1.72 and a distance of 700 light years. The brightest object is Alnitak A. It is a hot, blue supergiant (O9) with an absolute magnitude of -5.25 at a visual magnitude of 2.04.
It is a nearby binary star, represented by a supergiant (O9.7) with a mass 28 times that of the sun, and a blue dwarf (OV) with an apparent magnitude of 4 (it was discovered in 1998).
The name Alnitak means "belt" in Arabic. On February 1, 1786, the nebula was discovered by William Herschel.
Alnitak is the easternmost star in Orion's Belt. Located near the emission nebula IC 434.
Saif(Kappa Orioni, 53 Orioni) is a blue supergiant (B0.5) with an apparent visual magnitude of 2.06 and a distance of 720 light years. Ranked 6th in terms of brightness. This is the southeast star of Orion's quadrilateral.
The name comes from the Arabic phrase saif al jabbar - "giant's sword". Like many other bright stars in Orion, Saif will end in a supernova explosion.
Nair Al Saif(Iota Orionis) is the fourth star system in the constellation and the brightest star in Orion's sword. The apparent magnitude is 2.77, and the distance is 1300 light years. The traditional name from Arabic Na "ir al Saif means "bright sword".
The main object is a massive spectroscopic binary star with a 29-day orbit. The system is represented by a blue giant (O9 III) and a star (B1 III). The pair constantly collide with stellar winds, so it is a strong source of X-rays.
Lambda Orionis- a blue giant (O8III) with a visual magnitude of 3.39 and a distance of 1100 light years. This is a double star. The companion is a hot blue-white dwarf (B0.5V) with an apparent magnitude of 5.61. It is located 4.4 arc seconds from the main star.
The traditional name "Meissa" is translated from Arabic as "shining". Sometimes it is called Heka - "white spot".
Phi Orion- refers to two star systems separated by 0.71 degrees. Phi-1 is a binary star 1000 light-years away. The main object is a main sequence star (B0) with an apparent magnitude of 4.39. Phi-2 is a giant (K0) with an apparent visual magnitude of 4.09 and a distance of 115 light years.
Pi Orion- a loose group of stars that form the shield of Orion. Unlike most binary and multiple stars, objects in this system are located at large intervals. Pi-1 and Pi-6 are separated by almost 9 degrees.
Pi-1 (7 Orion) is the faintest star in the system. It is a main sequence white dwarf (A0) with an apparent magnitude of 4.60 and a distance of 120 light years.
Pi-2 (2 Orions) is a main sequence dwarf (A1Vn) with a visual magnitude of 4.35 and a distance of 194 light years.
Pi-3 (1 Orionis, Tabit) is a white dwarf (F6V) located at 26.32 light years. Takes 1st place in brightness in the six stars. Reaches 1.2 solar masses, 1.3 radii and 3 times brighter. It is believed to contain Earth-sized planets. From Arabic Al-Tabit means "patience".
Pi-4 (3 Orions) is a spectroscopic binary star with an apparent magnitude of 3.69 and a distance of 1250 light years. It is represented by a giant and a subgiant (both - B2), located so close that they cannot be separated visually even with a telescope. But their spectra demonstrate binaryness. The stars revolve around each other with a period of 9.5191 days. They are 10 times as massive as the sun, and 16,200 and 10,800 times brighter in luminosity.
Pi-5 (8 Orionis) is a star with an apparent magnitude of 3.70 and a distance of 1342 light years.
Pi-6 (10 Orion) is a bright orange giant (K2II). It is a variable star with a mean visual magnitude of 4.45 and a distance of 954 light years.
This Orion- an eclipsing binary star system, represented by blue stars (B0.5V), located 900 light years away. This is a Beta Lyrae variable (brightness changes due to one object overlapping another). The visual magnitude is 3.38.
Located in the Orion Arm, a small spiral arm of the Milky Way. It is located west of Orion's Belt.
Sigma Orion- a multiple star system consisting of 5 stars located south of Alnitak. The system is 1150 light years away.
The main object is the double star Sigma Orionis AB, represented by hydrogen-fusing dwarfs separated by 0.25 arcseconds. The brighter component is a blue star (O9V) with an apparent magnitude of 4.2. The companion is a star (B0.5V) with a visual magnitude of 5.1. Their orbital revolution takes 170 years.
Sigma C is a dwarf (A2V) with an apparent magnitude of 8.79.
Sigma D and E are dwarfs (B2V) with magnitudes 6.62 and 6.66. E is distinguished by a huge amount of helium.
Tau Orion- a star (B5III) with an apparent magnitude of 3.59 and a distance of 555 light years. It can be seen without technology.
Chi Orion is a main sequence dwarf (G0V) with an apparent magnitude of 4.39 and a distance of 28 light years. It is accompanied by a faint red dwarf with a rotation period of 14.1 years.
Gliese 208- an orange dwarf (K7) with an apparent magnitude of 8.9 and a distance of 37.1 light years. It is believed that 500,000 years ago it was 5 light years from the Sun.
V380 Orionis is a triple star system that illuminates the reflected nebula NGC 1999. Its spectral type is A0, and its distance is 1000 light years.
There is a huge empty hole in the nebula, shown as a black spot in central region. While no one knows exactly why it's dark, it's thought that narrow jets of gas from nearby young stars may have pierced the nebula's dust and gas layers, and strong radiation from an older star in the region helped create the hole.
The nebula is 1500 light years away.
GJ 3379 is a red dwarf M3.5V with a visual magnitude of 11.33 and a distance of 17.5 light years. It is believed that 163,000 years ago it was 4.3 light years from the Sun. It is the closest Orion star to our system. It is located just 17.5 light years from us.
Celestial objects of the constellation Orion
cloud of orion- contains a large group of dark clouds, bright emission and reflection nebulae, dark nebulae, H II regions (active star formation) and young stars in the constellation. Located at 1500-1600 light years. Some regions can be seen with the naked eye.
Orion Nebula(Messier 42, M42, NGC 1976) is a diffuse reflection nebula located south of the three stars that make up Orion's belt. It is sometimes also called the Great Nebula or the Great Nebula of Orion.
With a visual magnitude of 4.0 and a distance of 1344 light years, it can be seen without the use of technology. It resembles a blurred star south of Orion's Belt.
It is the closest region of massive star formation and is part of the Orion Cloud Cluster. It contains Orion's Trapeze, a young open cluster. It is easily recognizable by its four brightest stars.
is a young open cluster with an apparent visual magnitude of 4.0. Occupies 47 arc seconds at the center of the Orion Nebula. On February 4, 1617, Galileo Galilei found him. He drew three stars (A, C and D). The fourth was added only in 1673. In 1888 there were 8 of them. The brightest 5 illuminate the nebula around them. This is an asterism that is easy to find by four stars.
The brightest and most massive star is Theta-1 Orion C. It is a blue main sequence star (O6pe V) with a visual magnitude of 5.13 and a distance of 1500 light years. It is one of the best known luminous stars with an absolute magnitude of -3.2. It is also the owner of the highest surface temperature among the stars that can be found with the naked eye (45,500 K).
(Messier 43, M43, NGC 1982) is a star-forming reflection-emission nebula. Region HII was first discovered by Jean-Jacques de Meran in 1731. Charles Messier later included it in his catalogue.
It is part of the Orion Nebula, but is separated from it by a large band of interstellar dust. The apparent magnitude is 9.0, and the distance is 1600 light years. It is located 7 arc minutes north of Orion's Trapeze.
Messier 78(M78, NGC 2068) is a reflection nebula with an apparent visual magnitude of 8.3 and a distance of 1600 light years. Discovered in 1780 by Pierre Mechain. In the same year, Charles Messier added it to his catalog.
It surrounds two 10th-magnitude stars and is easy to find in a small telescope. Also hosts approximately 45 T Tauri variables (young stars in the process of formation).
(Barnard 33) is a dark nebula located south of Alnitak and is part of the bright emission nebula IC 434. It is 1500 light years distant. In 1888, it was discovered by American astronomer William Fleming.
It got its name because of the shape formed by dark dusty clouds and gases, resembling a horse's head.
is an emission nebula located in the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex. It is 1600 light-years away, and its apparent magnitude is 5. It is believed that it appeared 2 million years ago due to a supernova explosion. Occupies 150 light-years in radius and covers most of the constellation. In appearance, it resembles a giant arc centered around Messier 42. The loop is ionized by stars located in the Orion Nebula. Received its name in honor of E. E. Barnard, who took her picture in 1894 and gave a description.
Nebula "Flame"(NGC 2024) is an emission nebula with a visual magnitude of 2.0 and a distance of 900-1500 light years. It is illuminated by the blue supergiant Alnitak. The star emits ultraviolet light into the nebula by bouncing electrons away from the clouds hydrogen gas inside. The glow appears due to the recombination of electrons and ionized hydrogen.
Cluster 37(NGC 2169) is an open star cluster with an apparent magnitude of 5.9 and a distance of 3600 light years. It is less than 7 arc minutes in diameter and contains 30 stars, 8 million years old. The brightest of them reaches an apparent magnitude of 6.94.
In the middle of the 17th century, the cluster was discovered by an astronomer from Italy. Giovanni Batista Hodierne. On October 15, 1784, William Herschel spotted him separately. The cluster is sometimes referred to as "37" because the arrangement of the stars resembles this number.
is a reflection nebula and one of the brightest sources of fluorescent molecular hydrogen. It is illuminated by the star HD 37903. The nebula can be found 3 degrees from the Horsehead Nebula. Located at 1467.7 light years.
Monkey Head Nebula(NGC 2174) is an emission nebula (region H II) 6400 light years distant. Associated with the open cluster NGC 2175. It is called the Monkey's Head Nebula due to image associations.
The constellation Orion is the most beautiful in the entire night sky. It has very bright stars. By connecting these stars and turning on the fantasy, you can easily overlook the figure of the hunter. The figure points from the southeast side to the blue giant (in the constellation Canis Major). On the northwest side, it points to radiant red (in the constellation Taurus). It covers an area of approximately 594 square degrees in the sky. Easily recognizable in the night sky due to its bright outlines.
The constellation Orion can be easily seen in late summer, autumn and winter. It is observed until mid-April. It is observed throughout Russia and is considered autumn-winter.
If you look closely at the constellation on a moonless and cloudless night, you can easily count 200 stars. Among them are objects that create the outlines of Orion. These are very bright stars of zero magnitude. Five stars from the outline are of the second magnitude and four of the third. These stars include variables, nebulae, hot stellar associations, and asterisms. The two brightest stars in the constellation Orion are Rigel and Betelgeuse.
Stars
is a red supergiant. In Arabic, "Betelgeuse" means "armpit". This is the wrong variable. Its brightness ranges from 0.2 to 1.2. On average, the brightness of this giant is 0.7 magnitudes. The distance from us to this monster is 430 light years. It shines 14,000 times brighter than our star.
Betelgeuse is one of the largest stars ever discovered. If we were to place Betelgeuse instead of our Sun, it would take the distance to Mars at its minimum. At maximum, the surface of this luminary would be approximately in the orbit of Jupiter. Its volume exceeds the volume of our Sun by about 160 times!
- is a blue-white supergiant. The name "Rigel" means in Arabic the word "foot". It has almost zero magnitude. It is located at a distance of 770 from us. The surface of this giant has a temperature of 11,200 K. The Rigel diameter is 68 times the diameter of our Sun and is 95 million kilometers. This is the most powerful star closest to us to us. Rigel, the ancient Egyptians associated with the Sakha. Sakh is the king of the stars and the patron of the dead.
star systems
It is worth paying attention to the multiple star system θ Orion, which is located in the Sword. It outlines the Trapezium of Orion. Consists of four elements.
Video composite of several photographs taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.
Nebulae
With a small telescope, you can easily see. It is the very first nebula photographed by astronomers.
3D Animation of the Orion Nebula
All images below were taken using various filters and ranges, as well as by many hours of exposure.
- a nebula that has a silhouette that looks very much like a horse's head.
asterisms
Orion includes such asterisms: Butterfly, Magus, Belt, Sword, Shield, Baton, Venus Mirror, Saucepan. These asterisms are closely intertwined. In fact, the entire constellation is one large set of asterisms.
Story
