Horse Head and Flame Nebulas

These two nebula are truly a sight to behold and can really only be seen via a long exposure with a camera. Located in the constellation of Orion, right by the bright star Alnitak, these nebula are full of the elements hydrogen and sulfur, getting their bright emissions glow from the immense radiation in the area. The horse head itself being visible by a simple silhouette of dark nebulae against the bright ionized hydrogen. There is also plenty of reflection nebula in the area as stars brighten these pockets for a truly amazing image. Catalogue designations are as follows, NGC 2024 (Flame) and IC 434 (Horse.) This photo was completed in January of 2024.