The Orion Nebula (M42) is part of a much larger region known as the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex which includes Barnard's Loop, the Horsehead Nebula, M78, M43 and NGC 1977. In my photograph, M43 is the nearly circular formation located to the left of M42, with a tangled web of dust partially obscuring it. The Running Man Nebula (NGC 1977) is located diagonally from M43.
Telescope: Vixen ED80Sf on Celestron ASGT GEM, unguided.
Camera: Canon 350D, unmodified, at prime focus.
Images acquired, converted, aligned, and enhanced with Images Plus. Further processing in Photoshop CS.
Total exposure time: 45 minutes.
Location: Doylestown, Ohio
Date: March 20, 2007