Known since at least the time of the ancient Greeks as a "Smoky Star," "The Great Orion Nebula" is more than just a bright patch of nebulosity. Upon closer examination, it consists of a chain of deep sky objects. Admittedly, several require large aperture instruments for proper viewing. However, if you can find Orion, you can do serious "deep-observing" of these objects, even with a small telescope.

Finding the "The Great Orion Nebula" complex is relatively easy once you have found Orion. This time of year (September), Orion is seen on its side and rising from the eastern horizon at about 2 o’clock in the morning. There, hanging from the three "waist" stars defining the "Belt of Orion" is the "Sword of Orion" more properly known as "The Great Orion Nebula."

Typically, most beginning astronomers immediately head for the brightest and most highly detailed areas they can find in their field of view, and justifiably so. There is a stunning amount of nebulosity visible throughout entire the Great Orion Nebula complex. Certainly the area encompassing M42 (NGC 1976) and M43 (NGC 1982), qualifies in this instance. In that field of view (Figure 1) you have two bright nebula, plus the distinctive multiple star system known as "The Trapezium." When observing the complex, M42 overwhelms the field of view and seems to be everywhere. It truly is a phenomenal sight. Within M42 is embedded are four easily visible stars of the Trapezium. The Trapezium is situated within M42’s nebula, but immediately adjacent to a void referred to as "The Shark’s Mouth" by local astronomers. Much less conspicuous and just to the north of the Trapezium is the smaller body of nebulosity known as M43.

Figure 1

Having seen M42, M43, and "The Trapezium," many astronomers continue elsewhere in their observations. However, immediately to the south of M42, about a half degree, is NGC 1980 (Figure 2), an open cluster with associated nebulosity. Here, at 65X, we find that nebulosity from M42 sweeps around and encompasses NGC 1980 which itself is a circular body of nebulosity which can be easily surrounding Iota Orionis and a nearby triplet of stars. Nebulosity from denser portion of the Great Orion Nebula is apparent on the northern edge of the field of view.

Figure 2

Continuing even further south, we find the next body of nebulosity, NGC 1999 (Figure 3), a bright (well, maybe not that bright!) nebula located about a degree south of NGC 1980. At 65X, NGC 1999 appears as a star with haze surrounding it in direct vision. The nebula seems to fade in and out in direct vision and immediately stabilizes in averted vision; almost another "Blinking Nebula." At 143X, NGC 1999 is easily visible in direct vision. The center of the nebula is stellar and very sharply defined in appearance and perhaps even annular in structure.

Figure 3