The constellation Orion rests almost exactly on the celestial equator and is viewable from anywhere in the world. Often referred to as The Hunter, Orion depicts a kneeling hunter with a weapon drawn, ready to charge into battle; with other nearby constellations referred to as his potential targets and faithful animal companions. With several highly visible stars and other objects making up its formation, Orion is one of the most visible constellations in the sky and is often used as a reference point for locating other constellations. Because of its centralized location, the view we witness is nearly identical to what the ancient Egyptians and other past civilizations witnessed and it should remain that way for millions of years into the future.
Orion is made up of a series of stars easily visible within the night sky and makes it an excellent reference point for casual observers. Betelgeuse and Rigel, two of the brightest stars from our vantage point, encompass the right shoulder and the left foot of the hunter. Both supergiants are approaching the end of their lives and will eventually explode into a brilliant glare that will be visible even during daylight hours. Bellatrix, Mintaka, Alnilam, Alnitak, and Saiph make up the rest of Orion’s formation.
An astronomical asterism can also be found within Orion, and it is a trio of systems known as Orion’s Belt. Alnilam, Alnitak, and Mintaka create this highly visible celestial body and are often quick reference points to locate Orion and other nearby constellations. These three massive star systems are also ancient relics within the evening skies with an average brightness between the trio over one hundred thousand times greater than our sun. Orion’s Belt has been highly viewed throughout the ages and has carried with it a host of different nicknames; the best time to view this asterism is during the December and January months when it is nearest to the local meridian.
Over half of the constellation of Orion is highlighted by Orion’s Nebula, or more simply put a massive cloud of gasses and dust made up of hydrogen, helium, and plasma. The properties of a nebula make for excellent chances of new stars being formed, and currently in the Orion Nebula there are over seven hundred of them in various stages of infancy. Since its discovery in 1610 by Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc, the Orion Nebula has been one of the most viewed areas of the sky due to its rapid development and wondrous views. It is also one of the most popular focuses of the Hubble Space Telescope, since scientists still actively seek data that will further explain how our solar system was formed and the possibility of intelligent life beyond our planet.
The Flame Nebula is also visible within Orion, and gives novice astronomers a fantastic view due to the overall brightness of Alnitak, the easternmost star within Orion’s Belt. Because of its massive emission of ultraviolet light not visible to the naked human eye, the Flame Nebula appears as a great burst of red and yellow colors that is perhaps one of the most beautiful refraction nebulas within the sky.