| Messier/type: | M42 / emission nebula and cluster |
| mag/dia/dist: | 4 / 70'x60' / 1,500 ly |
| constellation: | Orion |
| date/time/place: | Nov 3, 2000 / 00:20 / bangkok |
| trans'y/seeing/l-poll: | good / good / medium |
| telescope: | newtonian 4.5" f8.8 |
| eyepieces/power: | 25mm / 40x |
| sky atlas page: | 11 |
Star hopping doesn't necessary for M42, try to look at orion belt stars three stars aligned in straight line at equal interval [ . . . ], look under the belt (in the section of Rigel, the super giant star, luminosity 60,000 times of the Sun), look at three points of faint light known as orion sword. M42 locates at the center of orion sword. At eyepiece 25mm (40x), M42 major feature is trapezium, easily seen for four major stars surrounding with bright nebulosity, some part of nebula extend along three bright stars (at upper part in my sketch) It is the most beautiful nebula in northern-hemisphere !
(M43 couldn't be observed, I will try on next winter)
Refer to text: Extremely bright and large, the most spectacular nebula, extend 30 ly.
The trapezium are newly born stars comprise of more than 300 stars but the brightest are star A, B, C & D (mag6.7, 8.1, 5.4 & 6.7) form trapezium shape ,age 10 million years Home