M78

This colourful image features M78, a reflection nebula located in the constellation Orion. A reflection nebula is created when light from a star is scattered or reflected off a nearby dust cloud. M78 is located approximately 1,600 light-years away from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of 8 and is best seen in January. M78 can be found in binoculars and small telescopes, but telescopes 8 inches or larger will reveal more detail in the nebula. M78 has the distinction of appearing very comet like, with one side of the nebula flaring away like a comet’s tail. This has fooled many comet hunters into believing they have made a new discovery.