The constellation of Orion is easy to see in the night sky. But around it is the fainter Orion Molecular Cloud Complex.
Four of a Kind
One of the most popular constellations is Orion the hunter. In the sword of Orion, just below the belt is a nebula known as the Orion Nebula. This nebula is a stellar nursery about 1300 light years away. At the heart of the Orion Nebula is a small cluster of very bright stars known as the Trapezium Cluster. Because Trapezium is bright and reasonably close to us, we’re able to make very precise measurements of the stars’ speed and motion. What we find is a bit of a puzzle.