Orion Nebula

The brightest diffuse nebula in the sky and the closest major star-forming region to Earth at about 1,344 light-years. The Trapezium Cluster at its heart — four hot young stars — illuminates the surrounding gas and dust across a span of 24 light-years. M42 is a rewarding target at any focal length and one most astrophotographers return to repeatedly. The enormous dynamic range from the blazing core to the faint outer wisps makes it a great test of HDR blending technique.