Where Stars Are Born, Part 2

Today we're hunting for the Hunter's nebula. Plan your next night of stargazing with today's episode of Astro Minute!

What is Astro Minute?

Welcome to the Astro Minute! I'm Lauren Smyth, and with the help of astronomer and teacher Kelli Smyth, I'll be your tour guide as we explore the secrets of the night sky sixty seconds at a time.

Welcome to the Astro Minute, where we’re exploring the universe sixty seconds at a time. I’m Lauren Smyth, and today we’re hunting for the Hunter’s nebula.

In September in the early morning hours, a famous hunter begins to rise in the eastern skies, eventually becoming a prominent figure on cold winter nights. Welcome Orion the Hunter, with great stars on his shoulders and feet, and a three-starred belt holding a three-starred sword. The middle jewel of the sword is not a star at all, but the magnificent Orion Nebula, one of only two naked-eye stellar nurseries in the northern hemisphere. Over thirteen hundred light-years away, and spanning twenty-four light-years across, its hundreds of stars are revealing the mysteries of stellar and planetary system formation to modern astronomers.

Stayed tuned - Orion carries many other hidden gems across the sky!

That’s your Astro Minute!