M78, nestled in the constellation Orion, stands as a beacon of stellar birth and evolution, captivating astronomers with its ethereal beauty and profound scientific significance. Situated approximately 1,600 light-years away from Earth, this reflection nebula serves as a celestial cradle for young stars, shrouded in dense clouds of gas and dust.

At the heart of M78 lies a cluster of young, hot stars, whose intense radiation illuminates the surrounding nebula, casting ethereal hues of blue and violet against the cosmic backdrop. These fledgling stars are in the early stages of their evolution, surrounded by protoplanetary disks from which future planets may form, offering astronomers a glimpse into the processes of planet formation and evolution.

M78's intricate structure and vibrant colors offer a wealth of scientific insights into the mechanisms of stellar birth and the dynamics of interstellar gas and dust. Through detailed observations and analysis, astronomers continue to unravel the mysteries of this celestial nursery, shedding light on the origins of stars and planetary systems. As humanity peers deeper into the cosmos, M78 stands as a testament to the enduring beauty and complexity of the universe, inspiring wonder and curiosity in all who gaze upon it.

In the vast expanse of the night sky, a captivating 2-panel mosaic unveils the cosmic dialogue between LDN 1622, colloquially known as the Boogeyman Nebula, and the renowned Messier 78. On the left, the Boogeyman Nebula, a dark molecular cloud, draws the eye into the cosmic shadows where new stars quietly emerge, hidden from direct view but leaving an indelible mark on the celestial tapestry. The enigmatic interplay of light and shadow within LDN 1622 paints a cosmic portrait, enticing observers to explore the mysteries of stellar birth within its inky depths.

On the right, Messier 78 takes center stage—a reflection nebula illuminated by the borrowed radiance of nearby stars. Bathed in the scattered light of these celestial beacons, Messier 78 casts a luminous glow against the cosmic canvas. This celestial dance between darkness and brilliance, portrayed in the 2-panel mosaic, captures the essence of LDN 1622 and Messier 78, offering both a visual feast and an opportunity for scientific contemplation. As the observer navigates this cosmic juxtaposition, they are invited to appreciate the artistry of amateur astrophotography while delving into the scientific nuances that make these celestial entities captivating subjects in the realm of the night sky.

Image Description and Details : Here is the area that includes M78 and LDN1622 separated by the Barnard loop.
This view offers us a magnificent mix of reflection nebula (M78), emission nebula (Barnard loop) and dark nebula (LDN1622).
Shooting information:
Place / date: La Fosse (Manhay, Belgium) - 13 & 14/02/2023
Constellation: ORION
Acquisition: 150 x 120 sec (05h00)
Mount: Skywatcher EQ6R pro
Optical tube: Celestron RASA 8
Camera: ZWO Asi2600MC (gain 100 / -20°)
Filter: None
Accessories: ZWO EAF - ZWO ASIAIR PRO
Processing: Siril - Pixinsight - Lightroom

Copyright: Werny Michael

Image Description and Details : M78(Messier 78)

Object type: Reflection nebula
Distance: 1,350 ly
Radius: 5 ly
Magnitude: +8.3
Constellation: Orion

It’s one of the most beautiful reflection nebula I’ve ever imaged due to its morphological complexity and comet like blue reflection. Its proximity to Barnard’s loop made of bright Ha emission makes this target a popular wide frame image as well. Also refers as “Casper the Friendly Ghost” of the heavens. M78 is a stellar nursery of young hot blue stars reflecting off the surrounding dust clouds. 17 Herbig-Haro objects are identified within this nebula. HH are narrow jet steams associated with new born stars that collide with nearby clouds of gas and dust.

SCT 8”, Hyperstar v4, ZWO(ASI294MC Pro, ASIAIR Pro, ASI290mm, EAF) | Sky-Watcher EQ6R Pro | 60mm Svbony guide
193X120” | IDAS LPS D3
Gain: 100, -10 °C
APP, PS(Camera Raw + Plug-ins)
10/27-28/2022
Bortle 5 Ca, USA

Copyright: Paul Diosomito

Image Description and Details :

Shot in true color (with Ha added) in Borrego Springs earlier this month at the Nightfall star party, this is one I have attempted several times at home and it's never really worked out. It needs a dark sky. Casper is a rather famous reflection nebula in Orion not far from the Horsehead and the Great Orion Nebula. About 1,500 light years distant, Casper is a dynamic star-forming region containing about 45 T Tauri stars (young stars that are still forming) and 17 Herbig-Haro (HH) objects (objects that are not quite stars but presumably will be soon). Several of the HH objects are visible in the image as bright red dots surrounded by cold, dark dust.Details: Celestron EdgeHD 1100 telescope with 0.7x reducer; 10Micron GM1000HPS mount; ZWO ASI6200MM camera; Chroma LRGB filters and Chroma 3nm Ha filter for the hydrogen-alpha signal); 9 hours exposure time.

Copyright: Copyright © 2022 by the Accidental Astronomers

This image is the deepest I have ever taken and by far, it is the farewell to my precious Canon as the main camera, the end of a chapter in the hobby, the culmination of an era that has lasted 6 years.

It's 46 hours of integration
125x600s + 300x300s
With modified Canon Eos 600D and newton Ts Photon 154/600 f3.9
Baader Mpcc coma corrector and Baader Bcf filter.
On Skywatcher neq6 pro2 mount guided off-axis with Zwo Asi 290mc.

Made remotely from the Dark Energy Observatory, Àger, Lleida, during January and February 2022

Copyright: Gerard Tartalo Montardit, Dark Energy Observatory, Ager. Societat Astronomica de Lleida

Image Description and Details :

Here is my post on this Orion photo and the Barnard loop, I spent the only clear night without a moon to try the samyang 135mm f2, because I wanted to have fun doing astrophotography. I absolutely wanted to shoot the constellation of Orion and the loop of Barnard. It was complicated to image it with a more than hazardous seeing but on 210 shots of 120 seconds I kept only 100 raw. After processing tests, I was happy with my final treatment.

Samyang 135mm at f2.8Canon 6D Iso 1600 Photomax Heq5 pro100 brutes x 120''Copyright: Oliver Globetrotter & P. Bernhard

Squarespace <form-submission@squarespace.info>

Sun, Nov 21, 11:45 PM (9 hours ago)

to me

Sent via form submission from

Image Title: M78 -Stellar Birthplace

Upload your image file, please make your file name as unique as possible!: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1wfHP-6MgmX56a8kce4KuHX1mnfhO5BgR

Video Link?:

Date image was taken: 11/12/2021

Image Description and Details : Messier 78 is the other (IMHO) "great" nebula in Orion, sitting just above Orions' belt. M87 and its companion nebulae NGC2064, NGC2967, and NGC2071 are reflection nebulae in the Orion B molecular cloud. Reflection nebulae are where surrounding gas and dust is illuminated by stars.
They are usually blue in color, and for the same reasons our home world skies are blue.
The curvilinear shapes are carved out by the stellar wind of some very energetic stars.

M78 is the bright area in the center of the image, to the right of this there is a swirl of dust that looks just like the eye-wall of a hurricane, and the side lighting gives some 3-D information about the structure.
Lower to the left there is a dark nebula with tendrils and orange/red light peeping through, this is a stellar birthplace and home to 17 Herbig-Haro objects (energetic jets from new born stars)
I shot this image over 6 nights from the New Mexico desert, M78 still being a late riser so this image was shot at low elevation in the early hours of the morning. This is a full-frame image with minimal cropping at 2560mm focal length @ f7.

Tech stuff:
Scope : Planewave CDK14
Mount : Planewave L-350
Camera : ZWO ASI 6200 MM Pro ZWO filter wheel Astronomik filters
24 x 10 min Red
20 x10 min Green
18 x10 min Blue
All unguided. Darks no flats.
Shot as Bin 1 downsampled to Bin 2x2 in Pixinsight

Copyright: Richard Whitehead 2021

Image Description and Details :

I compiled shots of this target for as many nights as I could over the past 4 years. Each time stacking and feeling it's not enough... I'm in Michigan, Bortle 7.5. Home of "lake effect clouds" and I might get 5 clear nights over the period that this target appears in my sky.
I shot over 4 years with 3 different scopes and 3 different cameras and combined my efforts this last spring and this was the result.
I hope to collect more should I find another clear sky here in the winter.

Copyright: Ron Richard Kramer

Image Description and Details :

On the photo you can see the brightest part of Barnard's Loop and its environment. Above the loop there is the M78's fogginess, while the Boogie Man is below.
It was the first time I used the Samyang 135mm lens.

Camera: Canon 600D modded
Lens: Samyang 135mm @f2.8
Exposures: 226* 3min, iso800
Total integration time: 11,3 hours
Mount: SkyWatcher Star Adventurer
Guiding: Lacerta M-Gen Stand Alone AutoGudier
Location: Bicske, Hungary

Copyright Information: Mátyás Szűcs

Image Description and Details : Description – Just north of Orion’s Belt lies this beauty, Messier 78, with a hint of barnard’s loop in the top left of the frame. A reflection nebula approximately 1500 ly away, this is a Target I’ve wanted shoot for a long time. See my Facebook page for capture details!

Location/Date – Deep Sky West, December 2017

Imaging System – Astrophysics Riccardi-Honders 305, Astrophysics 1600, SBIG STX-16803, Astrodon Gen 2

Exposure – LRGB, 13.1 hours

Processing – Pixinsight

Credit/Copyright – Good Astronomy