Talk:Horsehead Nebula

Alnitak
In Orion (constellation), it states that Alnitak is the "bottom" or what I would call the "westernmost" star in the Belt. I assume that this is correct, and that the "easternmost" is an error? Can someone check my Northern Hemishpere logic? Deadstar 12:13, 15 Feb 2005 (UTC)

You assume incorrectly. The article is correct: Alnitak is the "easternmost" of the three belt stars. You must remember that when we look up at the heavens, east and west are reversed when compared to a map (because we look down at maps). Alnitak is closest to the point where the Sun rises, so it is the easternmost star, though to a viewer in the northern hemisphere it is on the left. --Eroica 11:55, 5 December 2006 (UTC)

Yes, the article is correct here, although it bugged me too at first, until I realised that it was referring to geographical East, and not the left-hand side of the picture. I would explain this apparent reversal simply by pointing out that we, in the Northern Hemisphere,view Orion by looking southwards; and therefore that the directions East and West appear precisely reversed. AJHSimons (talk) 23:15, 6 January 2011 (UTC)

Reference to this article in a comic strip
This article has been referred to (indirectly) in a comic strip. Here's the information as I posted it on Press coverage:

JamesMLane 03:50, 13 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Jen Sorensen, Slowpoke (comic strip), December 2005.
 * Woman to man, in an imaginary movie: "Darling, when I saw your Wikipedia entry on the Horsehead Nebula, I knew I had to have you."

It looks like a horse's what?
I may just be dense, but the image doesn't look anything like a horse's head to me. Or... is the horse's head just the tiny piece sticking up into the bright spot near the top? In which case, might it be useful to point that part out, or provide a close-up image of it? -- Super Aardvark 08:40, 7 June 2007 (UTC)

Bad picture
I came to this page with exactly the same thought as Mr Aardvark. Here's a much better NASA one which makes it clear why it's called the Horsehead Nebula. Any chance this could be used instead? I don't know how to upload but I guess as it's a NASA picture same as the Hubble one it would be ok with the licensing to use it. 86.153.216.204 16:57, 26 June 2007 (UTC)


 * It's just a small part of the neck. This is the whole picture:The horsehead is in the upper left quarter. Horsehead alone:--90.179.235.249 (talk) 00:41, 12 May 2010 (UTC)

Size
How large is the nebula? I'm thinking in terms of volume, or area; it must be several light years. -Ashley Pomeroy (talk) 18:20, 4 September 2008 (UTC).
 * Personally I have seen no figures which estimate the nebula's size, but in terms of area it would certainly be several light years. I'll look into details about the subject later (as I'm busy now) and post any data I find here.--Metalhead94 (talk) 23:03, 23 September 2008 (UTC)

I did a quick search and found a website that states the horsehead nebula is 22.7x3.8 light years in terms of total area. Hope that helped.--Metalhead94 (talk) 23:09, 23 September 2008 (UTC)

Energising of NGC434 by which star?
The main article claims that the emission nebula NGC434, directly behind the Horsehead nebula B33 from our point of view, is energised by the star Sigma Orionis (not visible in this image, but directly "above" the horse's head in this orientation and just out of the frame).

Now, this does not make sense to me from other related data. Sigma Orionis is given as being around 1150 light years away; whereas B33 is given as being around 1500-1600 light years away (depending who you read). This would put Sigma Orionis closer to us, *in front* of the horse's head, which would be illuminated from our point of view; whereas we see B33 in silhouette. So, I can only see three ways of resolving this:

Either, the distance to B33 is incorrectly reported; Or, the distance to Sigma Orionis is incorrectly reported; Or, it is not Sigma Orionis which energises NGC434.

I'm inclined to think the light year measurements are reasonable estimates, and that the supposed illumination by Sigma Orionis is a fiction. What do others think?

AJHSimons (talk) 23:09, 6 January 2011 (UTC)

Which Way?
...is the 'horse' looking? Photos show both left and right. 68.148.93.15 (talk) 23:05, 30 April 2013 (UTC)

The 'horse' faces left. The middle photo appears to be reversed. If you compare it with the NASA photo at you will see the bright stars near the nebula on the opposite side. Since the middle photo (which has beautiful quality and should be kept) was taken with a camera attached to a telescope and many telescopes normally reverse the image, this is understandable

File:Barnard 33.jpg
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Incomplete sentence in lede
From the third paragraph of the lede:


 * The nebula exhibits a noticeable change in the density of the stars which indicates that a red ribbon of radiant red hydrogen gas at the precipice of a sizable dark cloud.

It seems that there's a verb missing here, and the next sentence doesn't make too much sense; "this concept of shade and density" doesn't refer back to anything in the same paragraph. Q VVERTYVS (hm?) 10:18, 10 May 2014 (UTC)


 * I too had trouble with this entire paragraph. I was going to correct its grammar, but I don't actually know what it's trying to say. Is there an expert on this aspect of the nebula who can enlighten us? Bazza (talk) 12:48, 10 May 2014 (UTC)


 * It's problematic. And rather adjective heavy. I'll ask at the Reference desk if anyone can help clarify this statement. Cyphoidbomb (talk) 18:43, 10 May 2014 (UTC)


 * Here is a rewrite that fits my understanding of what we see.


 * The nebula exhibits a noticeable change in the density of the stars which indicates that a red ribbon of radiant red hydrogen gas at the precipice of a sizable dark cloud. The underside of the horse's visible 'neck' reflects this concept of shade and density because it casts a great shadow across the field of view just below the horse's 'muzzle'.


 * The edge of a sizable dark cloud is visible behind the nebula as a stratum, the upper part of which is dense with stars showing through a red ribbon of radiant red hydrogen gas. The horse's visible 'neck' crosses this stratum which casts a great shadow across the field of view just below the horse's 'muzzle'.


 * 84.209.89.214 (talk) 20:00, 10 May 2014 (UTC)


 * So is it the nebula which is "dense with stars", or the sizeable dark cloud?. And could the word "layer" be used instead of the more unusual "stratum"? Bazza (talk) 15:04, 12 May 2014 (UTC)
 * I agree that "stratum" is not the best word if it leads to ambiguity. 84.209.89.214 (talk) 12:16, 13 May 2014 (UTC)
 * I've answered my own question. The paragraph in question, together with those adjacent, repeat the same information. I've reordered the text and added a couple more references. Bazza (talk) 15:55, 12 May 2014 (UTC)
 * My wording: "Both the highly transparent glowing layer of the nebula and the background stars are partially obscured by a highly opaque dark nebula which is shaped like a horse head."
 * - ¡Ouch! (hurt me / more pain) 07:32, 13 May 2014 (UTC)
 * Simpler: "Both the highly transparent glowing layer of the nebula and the background stars are partially obscured by an highly opaque dark nebula which is shaped like a horse head." 84.209.89.214 (talk) 12:21, 13 May 2014 (UTC)
 * Sounds good. - ¡Ouch! (hurt me / more pain) 09:00, 16 May 2014 (UTC)
 * Go for it. Anything to make it readable and understandable to non-specialists. Bazza (talk) 14:50, 16 May 2014 (UTC)

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New Bold Attempt and Significant Update
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