Orion Nebula Mosaic (Long-wavelength NIRCam)

Long-wavelength NIRCam version The magnificent Orion Nebula (Messier 42), located approximately 1500 light years from us, and found in the sky south of Orion’s belt, glows as one of the night's brightest star nurseries. Nestled inside is the young Trapezium Cluster, whose massive stars illuminate the nebula in intense ultraviolet radiation, while protostars continue to form in the molecular cloud behind. This nebula is an astronomical treasure trove for those studying the formation and early evolution of stars, as it contains a rich diversity of phenomena and objects within it. For a sense of scale, the region seen here is 4 light years across. That’s a distance roughly equivalent from the Sun to our nearest neighboring star, Proxima Centauri. This long-wavelength composite from Webb's NIRCam exposes the nebula, stars, and myriad objects with unprecedented clarity thanks to its infrared capabilities. Another alternative version of this image done in the short-wavelength infrared channel, is also available. Release Date: October 2, 2023