Barnard 33

E459023

Barnard 33, commonly known as the Horsehead Nebula, is a small dark nebula in the constellation Orion whose distinctive horse-head shape is silhouetted against the bright emission nebula IC 434.

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Observed surface forms (1)

Surface form Occurrences
IC 434 1

Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf astronomical object
dark nebula
molecular cloud
angularHeightOfHorseHead about 3.5 arcminutes
apparentSize about 8 arcminutes by 6 arcminutes
associatedWith star formation
backgroundEmission H-alpha emission from IC 434
bestSeenFrom Northern Hemisphere NERFINISHED
bestViewingSeason winter
catalog Barnard Catalogue of Dark Markings in the Sky NERFINISHED
catalogCode Barnard 33 NERFINISHED
contains dense molecular gas
interstellar dust
declination −02° 27′ 30″
discoveredBy Williamina Fleming NERFINISHED
discoveryYear 1888
distanceFromEarth about 1375 light-years
about 420 parsecs
dustComposition silicate and carbonaceous grains
equatorialCoordinateSystem J2000
featuredIn many astrophotographs
gasComposition primarily molecular hydrogen
hasColorInImages dark silhouette against red emission background
hasCommonName Horsehead Nebula NERFINISHED
hasFeature bright rim on side facing Sigma Orionis
streamers of gas and dust extending from the head region
illuminatedBy Sigma Orionis NERFINISHED
influencedBy radiation from nearby massive stars
locatedInConstellation Orion NERFINISHED
locatedInRegion Orion Molecular Cloud Complex NERFINISHED
mass several solar masses
namedBy Edward Emerson Barnard NERFINISHED
near Alnitak NERFINISHED
Flame Nebula NERFINISHED
nebulaType absorption nebula
observedBy Hubble Space Telescope NERFINISHED
Subaru Telescope NERFINISHED
Very Large Telescope NERFINISHED
partOf Orion Belt region NERFINISHED
projectedOn IC 434 NERFINISHED
requires dark skies for visual observation
moderate to large telescope for visual observation
rightAscension 05h 40m 59s
shape horse-head silhouette
silhouettedAgainst IC 434 NERFINISHED
visibleIn infrared wavelengths
optical wavelengths

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Horsehead Nebula alsoKnownAs Barnard 33
Horsehead Nebula silhouettedAgainst Barnard 33
this entity surface form: IC 434