HORSEHEAD NEBULA

1500 light-years

Located in the constellation of Orion (the hunter), the Horsehead is part of a dense cloud of gas in front of an active star-forming nebula. The Horsehead is illuminated by the bright star Sigma Orionis, which is located above the top of the image. This exceptional picture was taken using the National Science Foundation's 0.9-meter telescope on Kitt Peak in Arizona.

Credit: T.A. Rector (NOAO/AURA/NSF) and Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA/NASA).