a pink and blue star in the middle of a black sky

The Orion Nebula, also known as Messier 42, is one of the most famous and easily recognizable nebulae in the night sky. Located in the Orion constellation, it is a stellar nursery where new stars are born. The nebula is situated approximately 1,344 light-years away from Earth and stretches across about 24 light-years of space.