EntranceInteresting facts about the constellation Orion. Orion (constellation)
One of the most recognizable constellations in the northern and southern hemispheres of the sky. Eight bright stars outline the hunter Orion from ancient Greek mythology. A very saturated area of the sky in the nebula and areas with active star formation. Several stars are grouped into separate groups, which we know from childhood by their names: Orion’s Belt, Orion’s Sword, Orion’s Shield, and so on.
Legend and history
If you turn your gaze to the near-equatorial region at the strip Milky Way, then you can easily find the constellation. The name comes from the daughter of King Minos of Crete and the son of Poseidon. Orion was famous for his strength and courage in hunting. His goal was to destroy all animals on Earth. Sparing no one, he confidently walked towards his goal. The Earth Goddess Gaia, angry, turned to the goddess of nature and animals, Artemis, so that she could help stop Orion. Artemis unleashed a poisonous Scorpion, which mortally wounded the hunter with one bite. Soon after his death, the gods transferred Orion to heaven, and placed his dog nearby - Sirius.
Characteristics
| Latin name | Orion |
| Reduction | Ori |
| Square | 594 sq. degrees (26th place) |
| Right ascension | From 4 h 37 m to 6 h 18 m |
| Declension | From −11° to +22° 50′ |
| Brightest stars (< 3 m) | |
| Number of stars brighter than 6 m | 120 |
| Meteor showers |
|
| Neighboring constellations | |
| Constellation visibility | From +79° to −67° |
| Hemisphere | North-South |
| Time to observe the area Belarus, Russia and Ukraine | Winter months |
The most interesting objects to observe in the constellation Orion
Atlas of the constellation Orion
First, we will consider the deep-sky objects of the southern part of the Orion constellation (from Orion’s Belt and below), and then we will switch to the northern ones.
Why beat around the bush, perhaps let’s start our acquaintance with the most interesting area in the constellation Orion - Orion Nebula or M 42. This is the one that on winter evenings is visible even to the naked eye as a small, but with characteristic outlines, a foggy speck.
M 42- a gas-dust nebula that is located under Orion’s belt, or rather near the star Θ Orionis. This nebula is part of an even larger gas and dust region, which occupies most of the entire constellation. The distance to it is 1300 light years. In this nebula there is a process of active star formation; most of the young stars belong to the spectral class O and do not exceed 150-200 thousand years in age. The area of the Orion Nebula is approximately 1°, is very clearly visible even in an amateur telescope and does not require high magnification for detailed study.
If you look closely, you can see in the center of the nebula 4 bright and young stars, which are shaped like a trapezoid. These are class O and B hot stars.
Above the Trapezium, in the northern part of M 42, a dark streak of interstellar dust is visible - this is a separate object in the Messier catalog M 43.
2. De Meran Nebula (M 43 or NGC 1982)
M 43- a region of active star formation, ionized hydrogen, located directly above the Orion Nebula M 42. It got its name in honor of the French astronomer and geophysicist Jean-Jacques de Merana, who discovered this object.
M 43 is part of the Great Orion Nebula, which is usually observed in the winter months together with M 42.
It’s easy to search for both nebulae: we find Orion’s belt, consisting of three stars ( Alnitak, Alnilam, Mintaka) and perpendicularly drop a couple of degrees lower. On the atlas in red rectangle circled the desired objects:
Southern part of the constellation Orion
I will add that north of M 43 Three more nebulae are lurking NGC 1973, NGC 1975 And NGC 1977(you can often find an alternative name - “Running Man”). As a rule, all these “charms” look at once.
The image above does a great job of showing the location of the cluster NGC 1981- right above the Great Orion Nebula. The brightness of the cluster is 4.6 m, has about 20 stars and covers an area of slightly more than 25′. Part NGC 1981 includes 3 double stars: HIP 26234, HIP 26257 And V1046, the brightness of the components is approximately equal to 6 m and 8 m. Binoculars and a telescope with a wide-angle eyepiece and low magnification can place the three objects in question in one field of view. A truly wonderful sight. The most powerful telescopes make it possible to view the reflection nebula against the background of the cluster, which still remains due to the formation of new stars.
On the previous atlas in red rectangle this open cluster is also enclosed.
4. The Flame Nebula (NGC 2024) and the Horsehead Nebula (IC 434)
NGC 2024 30′ area is a small part of the nebula that surrounds the outermost star of Orion's Belt Alnitak. Horsehead Nebula ( IC 434) above it is considered one of the most recognizable and popular dark nebulae. It can be found on the covers of astronomical books and magazines, like a dark silhouette of a horse’s head against a red glow. The object is extremely difficult to observe even with powerful 300 mm telescopes. You will need ideal weather conditions, an aperture telescope, a lot of patience and the absence of the Moon in the sky (after all, it so often hides diffuse nebulae under its rays).
I specifically highlighted this section of the constellation separately and present it below, for general clarity and completeness of the picture:
M 78- gas nebula with a brightness of 8.3 m and angular dimensions of 8′×6′. Consists of three interconnected objects: NGC 2064, NGC 2067 And NGC 2071. An extremely dim nebula that requires ideal night sky conditions and no urban light to observe. No matter how closely I tried to examine it with a 254 mm telescope, I could not see any additional details or features except a small foggy cloud.
Pay attention to Orion's Belt - slowly lifting the telescope you will see a trio of dim stars; moving the telescope slightly counterclockwise will appear in the field of view of the eyepiece M 78. On the atlas published just above in one of the yellow rectangles you can see the desired nebula.
Very faint (9 m) open cluster NGC 2112 includes no more than 50 stars of 10 - 12 magnitude with a total area of 11′. Having met and admired the nebula M 78 We move the telescope a little more to the left and meet this cluster. On the atlas of the southern part of Orion, I also highlighted it with a yellow rectangle above.
The northern objects of the Orion constellation include the following deep sky:
Somehow, away from all the objects of Orion, almost on the border with the constellation, there is a small but pretty cluster of stars NGC 1662. Notice in the photographs above how clearly the colors of the stars differ: from orange cooled giants to blue stars heated to 80 - 100 thousand degrees. The apparent size of the cluster is slightly larger than 12′. The cluster looks great even in an amateur telescope; it is recommended to use a wide-angle eyepiece for observation. The apparent magnitude is 6.4 m.
Looking for NGC 1662 from the Shield of Orion or, more precisely, from the bright star Tabit (3.15 m).
8. Emission nebula NGC 2174 and open cluster NGC 2175
The northernmost deep sky objects of the Orion constellation are the nebula NGC 2174 and cluster NGC 2175, which are located above the hunter’s club, not far from the constellation. If there are no problems with an open cluster with a brightness of 6.8 m, it can be examined in detail with an amateur telescope and a couple of dozen stars can be counted, then some difficulties will arise with the emission nebula. As always, ideal viewing conditions and a keen eye are required. The vast majority of photographs seen on the Internet are subject to post-processing and in this form you will not be able to see the nebula for sure, but with a powerful 250mm+ telescope you will still be able to see something. By the way, in some sources the nebula NGC 2174 called Monkey head, although similarities are unlikely to be found here.
Below is a map of the northern part of Orion, where orange arrow and marked the desired objects with a rectangle:
My favorite cluster of stars in this constellation is NGC 2169. It has a memorable shape, has about two dozen stars of 8 - 9 magnitude, has a total brightness of 5.9 m and angular dimensions of slightly more than 7′. Despite its small size, it is very easy to find, because above it there are two stars of 4th magnitude ξ and ν Orionis. In a telescope, even at 70x magnification, it fits completely within the 60° field of view of the eyepiece and looks very interesting.
On the star atlas above noted green arrows.
80 cluster stars NGC 2194 with a total brightness of 8.5 m and an area of 10′ they present a very interesting sight. On the one hand, at low magnifications, the cluster at first glance resembles a spherical one, but adding a magnification of up to 70 - 100 times and using a wide-angle eyepiece, an excellent opportunity appears to stroll through the starry city. At magnifications of 100+ times, you can see the different shades of each of the stars separately and enjoy all the grandeur of this cluster.
And again from the stars ξ And ν Orion, we can only find it by the yellow arrows NGC 2194. In an optical finder (usually 8-9x) the cluster will appear as a massive, slightly blurry spot.
11. Open star cluster NGC 2141
A very faint cluster (9.4 m) contains about 100 stars, which strongly merge with background stars and often do not provide a complete picture when observed. In the image NGC 2141 It is noticeable that some stars at the edges have greater brightness; these are young blue giants.
It is strongly recommended to start your search with the star Betelgeuse and raise the telescope higher and higher, along the way you will encounter a 4th magnitude star μ Orionis, and then the desired cluster. The route is marked on the atlas above red arrows.
Perhaps, NGC 2186- the smallest and most difficult to detect Orion open cluster. You can count several dozen stars of magnitude 14 - 17. The brightness of the cluster is 8.7 m, the angular size is about 5′.
The search should start from the largest star Betelgeuse and move counterclockwise along the route shown below:
Multiple star systems
13.1 Optical double star Rigel (β Orionis)
The optical double system Rigel is considered one of the brightest stars in the northern hemisphere of the sky. The brightness of the main component is 0.15 m, and its smaller component (although this is not a component: the distance between them is about 2200 astronomical units.) 6.8 m. The distance between the stars is slightly more than 7″. Due to the strong illumination of the main star, observing the faintest star will require a telescope with an aperture of 130 mm or more.
13.2 Multiple star Alnitak (ζ Orionis)
The Alnitak multiple star system consists of three components: a blue supergiant, a giant star and a small star that was only discovered in 1998. The distance between the main component and the other pair of stars is 2.5″, which excludes the possibility of seeing the pair of stars in telescopes with an aperture of up to 150 mm.
.The constellation Orion is one of the most beautiful in the night sky. Many people have known it since childhood: it is difficult to ignore it, since the most noticeable stars and celestial objects in the constellation Orion are visible from Earth with the naked eye. These include luminaries that are superior to the Sun in a number of parameters, and the beautiful Great Nebula M42. The two bright stars in the constellation Orion, Rigel and Betelgeuse, are very easy to find in the sky. They make it easier to detect the remaining elements of the constellation.
Description
Orion is an ancient mythical character, a skilled hunter, comrade-in-arms and lover of Artemis. Legends and myths about the constellation Orion say that it appeared in the sky at the behest of an inconsolable goddess who killed a hunter as a result of the cunning of her jealous brother Apollo. Artemis vowed to remember her lover forever and placed him in heaven.
It is very easy to guess the silhouette of a hunter in the arrangement of elements. He froze in the sky with a raised club, a sword on his belt and a shield in his hand. The constellation details represent known asterisms. The sheaf forms a characteristic figure. formed by three clearly visible stars located on the same straight line. Just below is the asterism Sword of Orion, which includes two stars and between them a blurry speck of the M42 nebula. The belt with the southeastern end of the line points to Sirius, and the northwestern end to Aldebaran.
Every bright star in the constellation Orion is impressive. The constellations surrounding it lose in beauty precisely because of the lack of such large number elements impressive in their luminosity.
Palm of the Championship
Against the backdrop of all this splendor, a pair of giants especially stands out. The historical names of the two bright stars in the constellation Orion are Rigel and Betelgeuse. Their scientific designations are Beta and Alpha Orionis, respectively. Both giants, as already mentioned, are clearly visible from Earth. We can say that they are vying for the title of the first star in this celestial pattern. Betelgeuse is designated Alpha, but Rigel is slightly brighter.
The names of two bright stars in the constellation Orion are of Arabic origin. Rigel means “leg” and Betelgeuse means “armpit”. The names of the stars thus give a rough idea of where the stars are located. Alpha Orion was located on the hunter's right armpit, and Beta was located on his leg.
Red supergiant
In many ways, Betelgeuse can be considered the most significant luminary in Orion. This is a red supergiant, classified as a semi-regular variable star: its brightness varies from 0.2 to 1.2 magnitude. In this case, the lower limit of luminosity exceeds the level of this parameter in the Sun by eighty thousand times. The distance separating the star and the Earth is estimated on average to be 570 light years (the exact value of the parameter is unknown).
The scale of Betelgeuse can be understood by comparing it with the size of the orbits of the planets solar system. The minimum size of a star, if placed in the place of our star, would cover the entire space up to the orbit of Mars. The maximum would correspond to the orbit of Jupiter. Betelgeuse's mass is 13-17 times greater than that of the Sun.
Study problems
Alpha Orionis is 300 million times larger in volume than the Sun. Its exact diameter is difficult to measure, since its brightness slowly decreases as it moves away from the center of the star. It is generally accepted that if the distance to Betelgeuse is taken to be 650 light years, then the value of its diameter varies from 500 to 800 corresponding parameters of our star.
Betelgeuse is the first luminary after the Sun for which a disk image was obtained using a space telescope. The image captured the ultraviolet atmosphere of a star with a bright spot in the center. Its dimensions exceed several tens of times the diameter of the earth. The temperature of this area is significantly higher than on the rest of the surface of the cosmic body. The origin of the stain is still unknown. It is believed that it is the result of a new physical phenomenon affecting the star’s atmosphere.
Orion's foot
Rigel is the brightest star in the constellation Orion. The constellations Hare and Eridanus, adjacent to the celestial image of the mythical hunter, are often identified in the sky by their close location to Rigel. Beta Orionis, due to its brightness, serves as a guide for observers.
Rigel is a blue-white supergiant with a visual magnitude of 0.12. The distance to the star from the Sun is approximately 860. The radius of Beta Orionis is inferior to that of Betelgeuse. Moreover, Rigel’s luminosity is 130 thousand times greater than that of our star. In this parameter, it is also ahead of Alpha Orion.
Like Betelgeuse, Rigel is a variable star. It is characterized by an irregular cycle of changes in its value from 0.3 to 0.03 with a period of approximately 24 days. Rigel is traditionally considered triple. Sometimes it is credited with having a fourth component. However, indisputable evidence of its existence has not yet been obtained.
Neighbor
The Witch's Head Nebula is associated with Beta Orionis. In its shape, it really is very similar to the head of a witch in a pointed hat. It is a reflection nebula, glowing due to its proximity to Rigel. In the photographs, the Witch's Head has a bluish tint, since particles of cosmic dust in the nebula reflect blue light better, and Rigel itself emits mainly in the blue part of the spectrum.
Evolution
The two bright stars in the constellation Orion will not always be like this. The internal processes of both will sooner or later lead to fuel burnout and, possibly, an explosion - their impressive size is not conducive to long-term existence. However, they will definitely be enough for our time. According to forecasts, Betelgeuse will shine for at least another two thousand years. Then collapse and explosion await her. At the same time, its brightness will become comparable to the light of half or even full moon. In another scenario, Betelgeuse will “quietly” turn into a white dwarf. In any case, at the end of the process, for an earthly observer, Orion’s shoulder will go out.
Rigel also faces the fate of shining in the sky for a short time with an explosion of enormous power. According to assumptions, his fury will be comparable to a quarter of the Moon.
Other luminaries
The two bright stars in the constellation Orion are not the only clearly visible objects in this celestial pattern. The hunter's belt consists of three luminaries clearly visible from the Earth. These are Mintaka (Delta Orion), Alnitak (Zeta) and Alnilam (Epsilon). On the hunter's left shoulder is Bellatrix (Gamma Orionis), the third brightest point in the constellation. Its luminosity exceeds that of the sun by 4 thousand times. Among stars visible to the naked eye, Bellatrix stands out for its significant surface heating. Its temperature is estimated at 21,500º K.
Nebulae and black hole
Two more bright stars in the constellation Orion are located just below the Belt and belong to the Sword of the Hunter. These are Theta and Iota of Orion. A third object is noticeable between them, which, unknowingly, can also be classified as a star. However, this is the Great Orion Nebula, which appears as a small blur from Earth. New luminaries are constantly being born here. This is also where the largest mass, 100 times greater than the Sun, is supposedly located.
No less famous than M42 are the Torch and Horsehead nebulae, also located in the constellation Orion. The first one really looks like flames rising above a fire, which is why it got its name. The Horsehead Nebula also lives up to its name in shape. The silhouette of a horse is clearly visible in the photographs. It seems as if she is about to jump further. refers to reflection nebulae: by itself it does not emit light. The opportunity to admire it is provided by the nebula IC 434, which serves as the background. It illuminates its dark neighbor.
Numerous telescope images often show the constellation Orion. Interesting objects: stars, nebulae, clouds of gas and cosmic dust - amaze with their beauty in photographs. However, even from Earth, the hunter’s silhouette seems no less impressive. Such an abundance of bright objects visible to the naked eye is perhaps not typical for any other celestial images.
Those who want to see all the beauties that the mythical hunter hides can use numerous astronomy resources that allow them to study, among other things, the constellation Orion: “Astrogalaxy”, Google Sky, Google Earth service.
The constellation Orion is the most beautiful in the entire night sky. It contains very bright stars. By connecting these stars and turning on your imagination, you can easily overlook the figure of the hunter. The figure from the southeastern side points to the blue giant (in the constellation Big Dog). From the north-west side it indicates radiant red (in the constellation Taurus). It covers an area of approximately 594 square degrees in the sky. Easily recognizable in the night sky due to its bright outlines.
The constellation Orion can be easily seen in late summer, autumn and winter. It is observed until mid-April. It is observed throughout Russia and is considered autumn-winter.
If you look closely at the constellation on a moonless and cloudless night, you can easily count 200 stars. Among them are objects that create the outline of Orion. These are very bright stars of zero magnitude. Five stars from the outline are of second magnitude and four are of third magnitude. Among these stars there are variables, nebulae, hot stellar associations, and asterisms. The two brightest stars in the constellation Orion are Rigel and Betelgeuse.
Stars
Red supergiant. In Arabic, Betelgeuse means "armpit". This is an invalid variable. Its brightness ranges from 0.2 to 1.2. On average, the brightness of this giant is 0.7 magnitudes. The distance from us to this monster is 430 light years. It shines 14,000 times brighter than our star.
Betelgeuse is one of the most big stars that have just been discovered. If Betelgeuse were placed instead of our Sun, it would occupy the distance to Mars at its minimum. At maximum, the surface of this star would be approximately in the orbit of Jupiter. Its volume exceeds the volume of our Sun by about 160 times!
It is a blue-white supergiant. The name "Rigel" means "leg" in Arabic. It has almost zero magnitude. It is located at a distance of 770 from us. The surface of this giant has a temperature of 11,200 K. The diameter of Rigel is 68 times the diameter of our Sun and is 95 million kilometers. This is the most powerful star closest to us. Rigel, the ancient Egyptians associated it with Sakh. Sakh is the king of the stars and the patron of the dead.
Star systems
It is worth paying attention to the multiple star system θ Orionis, which is located in Sword. It outlines the Trapezium of Orion. Consists of four elements.
Video composition of several photographs taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.
Nebulae
You can easily see it with a small telescope. It is the very first nebula that astronomers photographed.
3D Animation of the Orion Nebula
All images below were obtained using various filters and ranges, as well as many hours of exposure.
A nebula that has a silhouette that is very similar to the head of a horse.
Asterisms
Orion includes the following asterisms: Butterfly, Magus, Belt, Sword, Shield, Club, Mirror of Venus, Pan. These asterisms are tightly intertwined with each other. In fact, the entire constellation is one large set of asterisms.
Orion's belt, image from the planetarium program
Perhaps Orion is one of the most popular constellations in the starry sky. Interestingly, the region is located on the celestial equator. That is, it refers to the so-called equatorial areas.
It ranks 26th in the list of constellations. As scientists have established, it has an area of 594 square degrees.
It is worth noting that next to Orion in the sky there are the following constellations: , Unicorn, Hare, Taurus and Eridanus.
The myth of the constellation Orion
At one time, many believed that the son of Poseidon and Euryale Orion was a hunter. In addition, he was considered the most beautiful man. Therefore, he represents courage.
Of course, there are many different stories about him.
One of them says that the guy fell in love with the seven Pleiades. He was chasing them. But Zeus hid the beauties in the sky in the constellation Taurus. Thus, the mythical hunter strives for them to this day.
According to another version, Orion was in love with the beautiful Merope. But his feelings were not mutual. He tried to take the girl by force. However, her father, King Enopol, blinded him and drove him out of his kingdom. Then the man met the Oracle, who predicted to him that he would see again. To do this, he needs to get to the east before sunset. Which, according to legend, he accomplished and regained his sight.
History is the truth that becomes a lie. A myth is a lie that becomes the truth.
Jean Cocteau
According to another legend, there lived a hero who fought in the sky with a bull (Taurus).
Although most stories have one thing in common - the death of a character. It is believed that he was killed by a scorpion. It was his bite that became decisive for the hero-hunter. This is probably why Orion sets in the west in the stellar sector. It's like he's hiding from.
But there is another famous myth about Artemis, who fell in love with a beautiful man. However, Apollo was against her refusal of chastity. Then he tricked her into giving her a bow and arrows. And indicated the target to hit. Which is what the girl did. But she didn't know that she had shot her lover. This is such a sad love story.
Structure of the constellation Orion
In truth, the constellation includes many interesting astronomical objects. Interestingly, we have heard about many of them in one way or another. Let's try to figure out what Orion consists of.
Bright stars
As it turns out, the first three luminaries are also the brightest in the region.
Alpha and Beta are quite popular supergiants. But central (Alpha) Betelgeuse has a red color. Also applies to incorrect variable objects. In fact, it is one of the largest stars. Moreover, it has a luminosity 14 thousand times greater than the Sun. Although it is located at a distance of 650 light years from Earth. Surprisingly, when translated it means a hand, or more precisely an armpit.
But Beta is a white-blue luminary Rigel. It is located near the equator. And the name means leg. Its luminosity exceeds the sun's by 130 thousand times. Actually, Rigel is the brightest and most powerful star closest to us. However, as it turned out, it is 860 light years away from Earth.
Gamma - Bellatrix white and blue giant. In addition, one of the hottest and most luminous.
Other stars
Delta - Mintaka represents binary system. Moreover, it is eclipsing and variable.
Epsilon - Alnilam, also called the 46 star. According to scientists, it belongs to the hot supergiants. Has a rich blue color.
Zeta - Alnitak and Sigma are multiple star systems. Sigma consists of 5 luminaries.
Kappa - Saif and Lambda are also blue supergiants.
Iota - Nair Al Saif a whole system of luminaries. For example, Pi is a group of stars consisting of seven objects.
Phi, in fact, refers to two systems. One of them is a double star, and the other belongs to the main sequence.
This constellation has a variable double structure.
Tau star class B5III. Chi is a main sequence dwarf that has a faint companion.
Gliese 208 orange dwarf.
V 380 represents a triple set of stars.
GJ 3379 red dwarf.
Asterisms
Apparently, it was in this area that the largest number of asterisms were identified. Of course, they participate in the formation of the constellation figure itself. We can say that these are its separate parts.
But it determines the shape of the site asterism Sheaf. It is also known as Butterfly. It is formed by Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Zeta, Delta and Kappa.
No less famous is Orion's Belt. This asterism is also called Three Kings, Three Magi, Three Mirias and Rake. As you can see, it consists of three luminaries: Mintaka, Alnitak and Alnilam.
And here Sword of Orion includes Theta, Iota, 42 Orionis and M42 (Great Nebula).
In addition, there is an asterism Shield of Orion. It highlights a combination of six objects in the form of an arc. It is formed by the Pi group, in which the stars lie at large intervals. It's interesting that in ancient times this area called turtle shell.
At the same time, in the northern side lies the Club of Orion. It is formed by five luminaries: Chi2, Chi1, V, Xi and the 69th star.
There is also Mirror of Venus. In fact, it consists of similar elements of the Belt. In appearance it resembles a mirror with a diamond figure, where the Sword asterism acts as a handle.
However, this same configuration of stars is seen upside down for observers in Australia. Thus the Sword represents a handle, and the rest of the objects are a bowl. That's why they called him that - Pot.
Celestial objects
Orion Cloud concentrated a group of dark clouds, nebulae, star-forming regions and young stars.
A diffuse reflective element was identified in the area, which is often called Great Nebula. It is worth noting that this is one of the areas close to us where massive formation of luminaries takes place. In addition, it is part of the Constellation Cloud.
Trapezoid- a young open cluster. On this moment it is believed that there are eight luminaries in it. But only five bright ones provide illumination around them. We also discovered another open Cluster 37. The name is directly related to its shape. Because the configuration of the stars resembles this figure.
De Meran Nebula refers to emissive reflective areas. Although it is classified as a member of the Great Nebula, it is separated from it by interstellar dust.
In addition, the constellation contains a reflection nebula Messier 78 and dark.
In addition, an interesting object is Bernard's Loop. In fact, it is an emission nebula, which is located in molecular clouds.
At the same time, emission nebulae were discovered in the constellation: Flame, illuminated by Zeta, and Monkey Head.
It is also impossible not to note the reflective nebula NGC 2023. Interestingly, it is one of the brightest sources of fluorescent molecular hydrogen.
Moreover, the constellation Orion has two meteor showers: the Orionids and the Chi-Orionids.
Observing the constellation Orion
As astronomers note, the visibility of the constellation ranges from +790 to -670.
In general, it’s nice to think that this is an autumn-winter constellation. Although in some areas it can be easily seen from late summer. In addition, it is clearly visible from Russia.
| An object | Designation | Meaning of the name | Object type | Magnitude |
| 1 | M41 | "Small Hive" | open cluster | 4.00 |
| 2 | M43 | "De Meran's Nebula" | Emission nebula | 9.00 |
| 3 | M78 | No | Reflection nebula | 8.30 |
| 4 | Betelgeuse | "The Hand of the Twin" | Red supergiant | 0.50 |
| 5 | Rigel | "Leg" | Blue-white supergiant | 0.13 |
| 6 | Bellatrix (Gamma Orionis) | "Warrior" | White-blue giant | 1.64 |
| 7 | Alnilam (Epsilon Orionis) | "String of Pearls" | Blue supergiant | 1.69 |
| 8 | Alnitak (Zeta Orionis) | "Eastern end of the belt" | Blue supergiant | 1.77 |
| 9 | Saif (Kappa Orion) | "Giant's Sword" | Blue supergiant | 2.09 |
| 10 | Mintaka (Delta Orion) | "Western end of the belt" | Double star | 2.23 |
| 11 | Nair-al Saif (Iota of Orion) | "First brightest of the sword" | Blue giant | 2.77 |
| 12 | Pi 3 Orion | No | Yellow-white dwarf | 3.16 |
| 13 | Eta Orion | No | Multiple star system | 3.42 |
| 14 | Meissa (Lambda Orionis) | "Seeking Star" | White-blue giant | 3.54 |
| 15 | Pi 4 Orionis | No | Double star | 3.67 |
| 16 | Sigma Orionis | No | Multiple star system | 3.80 |
| 17 | Pi 5 Orionis | No | White-blue giant | 3.90 |
| 18 | Omicron 2 Orion | No | White dwarf | 4.09 |
| 19 | Mu Orionis | No | Multiple star system | 4.30 |
| 20 | Pi 2 Orion | No | White dwarf | 4.35 |
| 21 | Chi 1 Orionis | No | Double star | 4.39 |
| 22 | Nude Orion | No | Triple star system | 4.42 |
| 23 | Xi Orion | No | Blue-white dwarf | 4.45 |
| 24 | Thabit (Upsilon Orion) | No | Blue subgiant | 4.62 |
| 25 | Chi 2 Orionis | No | Blue-white supergiant | 4.63 |
| 26 | Pi 1 Orionis | No | White dwarf | 4.64 |
| 27 | Pi 6 Orionis | No | Orange giant | 4.70 |
| 28 | Omicron 1 Orion | No | Red giant | 4.75 |
Explore the circuit constellation Orion near the celestial equator: quart of the starry sky, description with photos, bright stars, Betelgeuse, Orion's belt, facts, myth, legend.
Orion- this is one of the most striking and popular constellations, located on the celestial equator. They knew about it in ancient times. It was also called the Hunter because it has a connection with mythology and depicts the hunter Orion. He is often depicted standing in front of Taurus or chasing the Hare with two dogs (Canis Major and Canis Minor).
The constellation Orion contains two of the ten brightest stars - and, as well as the famous (M42), (M43) and. Also here you can find the Trapezium cluster and one of the most noticeable asterisms - Orion's Belt.
Facts, position and map of the Orion constellation
With an area of 594 square degrees, the constellation Orion ranks 26th in size. Covers the first quadrant in the northern hemisphere (NQ1). It can be found in latitudes from +85° to -75°. Adjacent to , and .
| Orion | |
|---|---|
| Lat. Name | Orion |
| Reduction | Ori |
| Symbol | Orion |
| Right ascension | from 4 h 37 m to 6 h 18 m |
| Declension | from -11° to +22° 50’ |
| Square | 594 sq. degrees (26th place) |
| Brightest stars (value< 3 m ) |
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| Meteor showers |
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| Neighboring constellations |
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| The constellation is visible at latitudes from +79° to -67°. The best time for observation is January. |
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It contains 3 Messier objects: (M42, NGC 1976), (M43, NGC 1982) and (M78, NGC 2068), as well as 7 stars with planets. The brightest star is , whose visual magnitude reaches 0.18. In addition, it ranks 6th in brightness among all stars. The second star is (0.43), standing in 8th position in the general list. There are two meteor showers: the Orionids (October 21) and the Chi Orionids. The constellation is included in the Orion group along with, and. Consider the diagram of the constellation Orion on a star chart.
The myth of the constellation Orion
we need to explain the history and name of the constellation Orion. Hunter Orion was considered the most beautiful man. He is the son of Poseidon and Euryale (daughter of Minos). Homer in the Odyssey described him as tall and indestructible. In one of the stories, Orion fell in love with the Pleiades (7 sisters and daughters of Atlas and Pleione). Moreover, he began to pursue them. Zeus decided to hide them in the sky in the constellation Taurus. But even now you can notice that the hunter continues to follow them.
In another myth, the object of his adoration was Merope (daughter of King Oenopol), who did not reciprocate. One day he got drunk and tried to get her by force. Then the enraged king blinded him and drove him out of his lands. Hephaestus took pity on the man and sent one of his assistants to him to replace his eyes. One day Orion met the Oracle. He said that his vision would return if he arrived in the east at sunrise. And the miracle happened.
The Sumerians knew about Orion from the myth of Gilgamesh. They had their own hero, forced to fight the heavenly bull (Taurus - GUD AN-NA). They called Orion URU AN-NA - "light of heaven."
In cards he was often depicted fighting a bull, but this plot does not exist in mythology. Ptolemy described him as a hero with a club and a lion's skin, which is usually associated with Hercules. But since the constellation itself is not very noticeable, and Hercules had a feat with a bull, sometimes a connection is seen between them.
Almost all stories about his death include a scorpion. In one of them, Orion boasted to Artemis and her mother Leto that he could destroy any earthly creature. Then she sent a scorpion to him, which killed him with deadly poison. Or he tried to achieve the love of Artemis and then she also sent a scorpion. In another tale, Orion died from poison in an attempt to save Leto. Whatever the version, the ending is the same - a scorpion sting. Both ended up in the sky, with Orion setting behind the horizon in the west, as if running away from his killer.
But there is another story. Artemis fell in love with the hunter. But Apollo did not want her to give up her chastity. He gave her a bow and arrows and told her to shoot at a small target. She did not know that Orion was her, and she killed the man she desired.
Orion is popular in many cultures. In South Africa the three stars are called the “Three Kings” or “Three Sisters”, and in Spain they are called the “Three Marys”. In Babylon, Orion was called MUL.SIPA.ZI.AN.NA (Heavenly Shepherd), and in the late Bronze Age he was associated with the god Anu. The Egyptians believed that this was Osiris (the god of death). It was also represented by the Fifth Dynasty pharaoh Unas, who ate the flesh of his enemies to become great. After his death, he went to heaven in the guise of Orion.
Pharaohs were perceived as gods by their subordinates, which is why most pyramids (at Giza) were built to reflect the constellation. For the Aztecs, the growth of stars in the sky symbolized the beginning of the New Fire ceremony. This ritual was necessary because it delayed the date of the end of the world.
In Hungarian myths it was Nimrod, the hunter and father of the twins Hunor and Magor. The Scandinavians saw him as the goddess Freya, and in China - Shen (hunter and warrior). In the second millennium BC. there was a legend created by the Hittites. This is the story of the goddess Anat, who fell in love with a hunter. He refused to lend her his bow, so she sent a man to steal it. But he failed and dropped it into the sea. That is why in the spring the constellation drops below the horizon for two months.
The main stars of the constellation Orion
Explore the bright stars in the constellation Orion with detailed descriptions, photos and characteristics.
Rigel(Beta Orionis) is a blue supergiant (B8lab), located 772.51 light years away. Exceeds solar brightness by 85,000 times and occupies 17 mass. It is a faint and irregular variable star whose brightness varies from 0.03 to 0.3 magnitude over 22-25 days.
Apparent visual magnitude – 0.18 (the brightest in the constellation and the 6th in the sky). This is a star system represented by three objects. In 1831 F.G. Struve measured it as a visual binary surrounded by an envelope of gas.
Rigel A is 500 times brighter than Rigel B, which itself is a spectroscopic binary star with a magnitude of 6.7. It is represented by a pair of main sequence stars (B9V) with an orbital period of 9.8 days.
The star is connected by neighboring dust clouds, which it illuminates. Among them is IC 2118 (the Witch's Head Nebula), a faint reflection nebula located 2.5 degrees northwest of Rigel in the constellation Eridanus.
Part of the Taurus-Orion R1 association. Some believe that it would fit perfectly into the OB1 Orionis Association, but the star is too close to us. Age – 10 million years. One day it transforms into a red supergiant, reminiscent of Betelgeuse.
The name is from the Arabic phrase Riǧl Ǧawza al-Yusra - “left foot”. Rigel marks Orion's left leg. Also in Arabic it was called il al-Shabbar - “the foot of the great.”
Betelgeuse(Alpha Orion, 58 Orion) is a red supergiant (M2lab) with a visual magnitude of 0.42 (the second brightest in the constellation) and a distance of 643 light years. The absolute value is -6.05.
Recent discoveries show that the star emits more light than 100,000 suns, making it brighter than most stars in its class. Therefore, we can say that the classification is outdated.
Its apparent diameter ranges from 0.043 to 0.056 arcseconds. It is very difficult to say more precisely, because the star periodically changes its shape due to the colossal loss of mass.
It is a semiregular variable star whose apparent visual magnitude ranges from 0.2 to 1.2 (sometimes eclipsing Rigel). This was first noticed by John Herschel in 1836. Its age is 10 million years, and this is not enough for a red supergiant. It is believed that it developed very quickly due to its enormous mass. It will explode as a supernova in the next millions of years. During this event, it will be visible even during the day (it will shine brighter than the Moon and will become the brightest in the history of supernovae).
Part of two asterisms: the Winter Triangle (together with Sirius and Procyon) and the Winter Hexagon (Aldebaran, Capella, Pollux, Castor, Sirius and Procyon).
The name is a corruption of the Arabic phrase "Yad al-Jawza" - "hands of Orion", which became "Betlegez" when translated into medieval Latin. Moreover, the first Arabic letter was mistaken for b, which led to the name “Bait al-Jauzā” - “the house of Orion” in the Renaissance. It turns out that due to one mistake it grew modern name stars.
Bellatrix(Gamma Orionis, 24 Orionis) is a hot, luminous blue-white giant (B2 III) with an apparent magnitude ranging from 1.59 to 1.64 and a distance of 240 light years. It is one of the hottest stars visible to the naked eye. Releases 6400 times more sunlight and occupies 8-9 of its masses. In a few million years it will become an orange giant, after which it will transform into a massive white dwarf.
She is sometimes called the "Star of the Amazon." It ranks 3rd in brightness in the constellation and 27th in the sky. The name comes from the Latin "woman warrior".
Orion's Belt: Mintaka, Alnilam and Alnitak (Delta, Epsilon and Zeta)
Orion's Belt is one of the most famous asterisms in the night sky. It is formed by three bright stars: Mintaka (Delta), Alnilam (Epsilon) and Alnitak (Zeta).
Mintaka(Delta Orionis) is an eclipsing binary variable. The main object is a double star, represented by a B-type giant and hot star O-type, whose orbital period is 5.63 days. They eclipse each other, reducing their brightness by 0.2 magnitude. At 52" from them there is a star of magnitude 7 and a faint star of magnitude 14.
The system is 900 light years away. The brightest components are 90,000 times brighter than the Sun and occupy more than 20 of its masses. They will both end their lives in supernova explosions. In order of brightness, the apparent magnitudes of the components are 2.23 (3.2/3.3), 6.85 and 14.0.
The name comes from the Arabic word manţaqah - “area”. In Orion's belt it is the faintest star and the 7th brightest in the constellation.
Alnilam(Epsilon Orionis, 46 Orionis) is a hot, bright blue supergiant (B0) with an apparent magnitude of 1.70 and a distance of 1300 light years. It ranks fourth in brightness in the constellation and 30th in the sky. Occupies a central place in the belt. Emits 375,000 solar luminosities.
It is surrounded by the nebula NGC 1990, a molecular cloud. The stellar wind reaches speeds of 2000 km/s. Age – 4 million years. The star is losing mass, so internal hydrogen fusion is coming to an end. Very soon it will turn into a red supergiant (brighter than Betelgeuse) and explode as a supernova. The name from Arabic “an-niżām” translates as “string of pearls”.
Alnitak(Zeta Orionis, 50 Orionis) is a multiple star system with an apparent magnitude of 1.72 and a distance of 700 light years. The brightest object is Alnitak A. This is a hot, blue supergiant (O9), whose absolute magnitude reaches -5.25 with a visual magnitude of 2.04.
It is a nearby double star, represented by a supergiant (O9.7) with 28 times the mass of the Sun, and a blue dwarf (OV) with an apparent magnitude of 4 (found in 1998).
The name Alnitak means "belt" in Arabic. On February 1, 1786, the nebula was discovered by William Herschel.
Alnitak is the easternmost star in Orion's Belt. Located next to the emission nebula IC 434.
Saif(Kappa Orionis, 53 Orionis) is a blue supergiant (B0.5) with an apparent visual magnitude of 2.06 and a distance of 720 light years. Ranks 6th in brightness. It is the southeastern star of the Orion quadrangle.
The name comes from the Arabic phrase saif al jabbar - "the giant's sword." Like many other bright stars in Orion, Saif will end in a supernova explosion.
Nair Al Saif(Iota Orionis) is the fourth star system in the constellation and the brightest star in the sword of Orion. The apparent magnitude is 2.77, and the distance is 1300 light years. The traditional name from Arabic Na "ir al Saif means "bright sword."
The main object is a massive spectroscopic binary star with a 29-day orbit. The system is represented by a blue giant (O9 III) and a star (B1 III). The pair constantly collides with stellar winds and is therefore a strong source of X-rays.
Lambda Orion– a blue giant (O8III) with a visual magnitude of 3.39 and a distance of 1100 light years. This is a double star. The companion is a hot blue-white dwarf (B0.5V) with an apparent magnitude of 5.61. Located 4.4 arcseconds from the main star.
The traditional name "Meissa" is translated from Arabic as "shining". Sometimes it is called Heka - “white spot”.
Phi Orion– refers to two star systems separated by 0.71 degrees. Phi-1 is a double star located 1000 light years away. The main object is a main sequence star (B0) with an apparent magnitude of 4.39. Phi-2 is a giant (K0) with an apparent visual magnitude of 4.09 and a distance of 115 light years.
Pi Orion- a loose group of stars forming the shield of Orion. Unlike most binary and multiple stars, the objects in this system are located at large intervals. Pi-1 and Pi-6 are separated by almost 9 degrees.
Pi-1 (7 Orionis) is the faintest star in the system. It is a main sequence white dwarf (A0) with an apparent magnitude of 4.60 and a distance of 120 light years.
Pi-2 (2 Orionis) is a main sequence dwarf (A1Vn) with a visual magnitude of 4.35 and a distance of 194 light years.
Pi-3 (1 Orionis, Tabit) is a white dwarf (F6V) located 26.32 light years away. It ranks 1st in brightness among the six stars. Reaches 1.2 solar masses, 1.3 radii and is 3 times brighter. It is believed that it may contain Earth-sized planets. Al-Tabit means "patience" in Arabic.
Pi-4 (3 Orionis) is a spectroscopic double star with an apparent magnitude of 3.69 and a distance of 1250 light years. It is represented by a giant and a subgiant (both B2), located so close that they cannot be separated visually even with a telescope. But their spectra demonstrate binarity. The stars revolve around each other with a period of 9.5191 days. Their mass is 10 times that of the sun, and their luminosity is 16,200 and 10,800 times brighter.
Pi-5 (8 Orionis) is a star with an apparent magnitude of 3.70 and a distance of 1342 light years.
Pi-6 (10 Orionis) is a bright orange giant (K2II). It is a variable star with an average visual magnitude of 4.45 and a distance of 954 light years.
Eta Orion– an eclipsing binary star system represented by blue stars (B0.5V), located 900 light years away. This is a Beta Lyrae variable (brightness changes due to one object blocking another). Visual magnitude – 3.38.
Located in the Orion Arm, a small spiral arm of the Milky Way. Located west of Orion's Belt.
Sigma Orionis- a multiple star system consisting of 5 stars located south of Alnitak. The system is located 1150 light years away.
The main object is the double star Sigma Orionis AB, represented by hydrogen-fueling dwarfs separated by 0.25 arcseconds. The brighter component is a blue star (O9V) with an apparent magnitude of 4.2. The satellite is a star (B0.5V) with a visual magnitude of 5.1. Their orbital revolution takes 170 years.
Sigma C is a dwarf (A2V) with an apparent magnitude of 8.79.
Sigma D and E are dwarfs (B2V) with magnitudes 6.62 and 6.66. E is characterized by a huge amount of helium.
Tau Orion– a star (B5III) with an apparent magnitude of 3.59 and a distance of 555 light years. It can be seen without technology.
Chi Orion is a main sequence dwarf (G0V) with an apparent magnitude of 4.39 and a distance of 28 light years. It is accompanied by a faint red dwarf whose rotation period is 14.1 years.
Gliese 208– an orange dwarf (K7) with an apparent magnitude of 8.9 and a distance of 37.1 light years. It is believed that 500,000 years ago it was 5 light years from the Sun.
V380 Orion is a triple star system illuminating the reflection nebula NGC 1999. Its spectral type is A0, and its distance is 1000 light years.
The nebula has a huge empty hole, displayed as a black spot in the central region. No one yet knows exactly why it is dark, but it is speculated that narrow jets of gas from nearby young stars may have penetrated the nebula's dust and gas layer, and strong radiation from an older star in the region helped create the hole.
The nebula is 1500 light years away.
GJ 3379– a red dwarf M3.5V with a visual magnitude of 11.33 and a distance of 17.5 light years. It is believed that 163,000 years ago it was 4.3 light years from the Sun. This is the closest Orion star to our system. Located just 17.5 light years away.
Celestial objects of the Orion constellation
Orion Cloud– hosts a large group of dark clouds, bright emission and reflection nebulae, dark nebulae, H II regions (active star formation) and young stars in the constellation. Located 1500-1600 light years away. Some regions can be seen with the naked eye.
Orion Nebula(Messier 42, M42, NGC 1976) is a diffuse reflection nebula located south of the three stars that form Orion's belt. It is sometimes also called the Great Nebula or the Great Orion Nebula.
With a visual magnitude of 4.0 and a distance of 1344 light years, it can be seen without the use of technology. It resembles a fuzzy star south of Orion's Belt.
It is the closest region of massive star formation and is part of the Orion Cloud cluster. Contains the Trapezium of Orionis, a young open cluster. It is easily recognized by its four brightest stars.
– a young open cluster with an apparent visual magnitude of 4.0. Occupies 47 arcseconds at the center of the Orion Nebula. On February 4, 1617, it was found by Galileo Galilei. He drew three stars (A, C and D). The fourth was added only in 1673. In 1888 there were 8 of them. The brightest 5 illuminate the nebula around them. This is an asterism that is easy to find by four stars.
The brightest and most massive star is theta-1 Orion C. It is a blue main sequence star (O6pe V) with a visual magnitude of 5.13 and a distance of 1500 light years. It is one of the most famous luminous stars with absolute value-3.2. It also has the highest surface temperature among stars that can be found with the naked eye (45,500 K).
(Messier 43, M43, NGC 1982) is a star-forming emission-reflection nebula. Region HII was first discovered by Jean-Jacques de Meran in 1731. Charles Messier later included it in his catalogue.
It is part of the Orion Nebula, but is separated from it by a large band of interstellar dust. The apparent magnitude is 9.0, and the distance is 1600 light years. It is located 7 arcminutes north of the Trapezium of Orion.
Messier 78(M78, NGC 2068) is a reflection nebula with an apparent visual magnitude of 8.3 and a distance of 1600 light years. Discovered in 1780 by Pierre Mechain. In the same year, Charles Messier added it to his catalogue.
It surrounds two 10th magnitude stars and is easy to find with a small telescope. It also contains approximately 45 T Tauri variables (young stars in the process of formation).
(Barnard 33) is a dark nebula located south of Alnitak and is part of the bright emission nebula IC 434. It is located 1500 light years away. In 1888, it was discovered by American astronomer William Fleming.
It got its name because of the shape formed by dark dusty clouds and gases, reminiscent of a horse's head.
is an emission nebula located in the Orion molecular cloud complex. It is 1600 light years away and has an apparent magnitude of 5. It is believed to have appeared 2 million years ago due to a supernova explosion. Occupies 150 light years in radius and covers most of the constellation. By appearance resembles a giant arc centered around Messier 42. The loop is ionized by stars located in the Orion Nebula. It received its name in honor of E. E. Barnard, who took a photograph of it in 1894 and gave a description.
Flame Nebula(NGC 2024) is an emission nebula with a visual magnitude of 2.0 and a distance of 900-1500 light years. It is illuminated by the blue supergiant Alnitak. The star emits ultraviolet light into the nebula, bouncing electrons off clouds of hydrogen gas inside. The glow appears due to the recombination of electrons and ionized hydrogen.
Cluster 37(NGC 2169) is an open star cluster with an apparent magnitude of 5.9 and a distance of 3600 light years. It is less than 7 arcminutes in diameter and contains 30 stars, 8 million years old. The brightest of them reaches an apparent magnitude of 6.94.
In the mid-17th century, the cluster was discovered by Italian astronomer Giovanni Batista Godierna. On October 15, 1784, he was noticed separately by William Herschel. The cluster is sometimes called "37" because the arrangement of stars resembles this number.
– a reflection nebula and one of the brightest sources of fluorescent molecular hydrogen. It is illuminated by the star HD 37903. The nebula can be found 3 degrees from the Horsehead Nebula. Located 1467.7 light years away.
Monkey Head Nebula(NGC 2174) is an emission nebula (H II region), 6400 light years distant. Associated with the open cluster NGC 2175. It is called the Monkey Head Nebula due to associations in images.
You have the opportunity to study the constellation Orion more carefully if you use not only our photos, but 3D models and an online telescope. For independent searching, a star map is suitable.