Flame Nebula

nebula

The Flame Nebula (NGC 2024) — an emission nebula and young star cluster ~1,400 light-years away in the Orion Arm, lit by hot young stars in its embedded cluster (long attributed to nearby Alnitak), with a dark central dust lane splitting its glow.

Open in 3D viewSee Flame Nebula in the live, interactive 3D map

Science

Physical

Type: Emission nebula + embedded young cluster
Distance: ~1,400 light-years
Ionised by: Hot young stars in its embedded cluster (long attributed to nearby Alnitak, ζ Orionis)

How we know

Note: The image is a REAL ESO/VISTA infrared photograph (eso0949, CC BY 4.0), shown as a camera-facing billboard at the nebula's real position — presented as seen from Earth (its true 3-D shape can't be shown).

Discovery & history

Name: NGC 2024, in the New General Catalogue; 'Flame' for its fiery, flickering shape.

Long known in Orion's Belt region; infrared surveys (2MASS, ESO's VISTA) pierced its dust to reveal a rich embedded cluster of newborn stars.

Images

The Flame Nebula (NGC 2024) — a real ESO/VISTA infrared image of the star-forming cloud beside Alnitak in Orion's Belt. — ESO/J. Emerson/VISTA — CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Images from open archives · credit shown per image