Changes

Various features in the Orion Nebula have been given their own names by observers over the years.  The dark nebular lane that separates M34 from the main nebula And extending into the brightest part is nicknamed the "Fish's Mouth".  The brighter regions located on both sides of this dark dust feature are known as the "wings". At the end of the "Fish's Mouth" is the open cluster of new stars called the "Trapezium cluster"(named after the original quartet of stars known there).  "The Sword" is the name of the wing extension in the southeast of the nebula, while the brighter area of nebula below the Trapezium is referred to as "The Thrust".  The large region in the west of the nebula is simply known as "The Sail".<ref>http://www.seds.org/messier/m/m042.html</ref>

Various features in the Orion Nebula have been given their own names by observers over the years.  The dark nebular lane that separates M34 from the main nebula And extending into the brightest part is nicknamed the "Fish's Mouth".  The brighter regions located on both sides of this dark dust feature are known as the "wings". At the end of the "Fish's Mouth" is the open cluster of new stars called the "Trapezium cluster"(named after the original quartet of stars known there).  "The Sword" is the name of the wing extension in the southeast of the nebula, while the brighter area of nebula below the Trapezium is referred to as "The Thrust".  The large region in the west of the nebula is simply known as "The Sail".<ref>http://www.seds.org/messier/m/m042.html</ref>

The Trapezium Cluster itself, first observed by Galileo as a group of stars, is an [[open cluster]] of eight known newborn stars, several of which are [[binary star|binaries]].  The cluster itself was created right out of the nebula and each of the stars are within 1.5 light years of each other.  The cluster itself may be part of the larger '''Orion Nebula Cluster''', which contain some 2,000 stars in total, spread over an area of 20 light years.

The Trapezium Cluster itself, first observed by Galileo as a group of stars, is an [[open cluster]] of eight known newborn stars, several of which are [[binary star|binaries]].  The cluster was created right out of the nebula and each of the stars are within 1.5 light years of each other.  It may be part of the larger '''Orion Nebula Cluster''', which contain some 2,000 stars in total, spread over an area of 20 light years.

The Orion Nebula is the primary example of a stellar nursery where new stars are being born. Recent observations of the nebula have revealed approximately 700 stars in various stages of formation within the nebula.  In addition the Hubble have found over 150 proplys, or [[protoplanetary disk|protoplanetary disks]] in the nebula<ref>http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1996AJ....111.1977M</ref>.  Such systems are considered to be the earliest stages of solar system formation.  The large number located just in this one nebula is viewed as evidence that the formation of star systems is a common occurrence in the universe.

The Orion Nebula is the primary example of a stellar nursery where new stars are being born. Recent observations of the nebula have revealed approximately 700 stars in various stages of formation within the nebula.  In addition the Hubble has found over 150 proplys, or [[protoplanetary disk|protoplanetary disks]] in the nebula<ref>http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1996AJ....111.1977M</ref>.  Such systems are considered to be the earliest stages of solar system formation.  The large number located just in this one nebula is viewed as evidence that the formation of star systems is a common occurrence in the universe.