Target guide · star-forming nebula
M42 Orion Nebula with a smart telescope
M42 Orion Nebula is a star-forming nebula about 66 arcminutes (1.10°) across, magnitude 4. It is highest around midnight in December, well placed from both hemispheres, and bright enough to image from a suburb or even a city. Of the 12 smart telescopes we track, Seestar S30 Pro, DWARF 3, Vespera Pro 2 frame it best.
Key facts
| Catalogue | M42 |
|---|---|
| Type | star-forming nebula |
| Apparent size | 66′ × 60′ |
| Magnitude | 4 |
| Position (J2000) | RA 5.59 h, Dec -5.5° |
| Highest at midnight | December (±2 weeks) |
| Sky needed | City-friendly |
In the best-matching frame
Imaging tips
This type glows in the specific colours of hydrogen and oxygen. If your smart telescope has a dual-band or light-pollution filter, use it: it blocks much of the city glow while letting the nebula through. Orion Nebula is one of the easier targets from light-polluted skies.
Which smart telescope frames it best
| Telescope | Field of view | Fit |
|---|---|---|
| ZWO Seestar S30 Pro | 3.99° × 2.24° | fits well |
| DWARFLAB DWARF 3 | 2.93° × 1.65° | fits well |
| Vaonis Vespera Pro 2 | 1.6° × 1.6° | fits well |
| Vaonis Vespera II | 2.5° × 1.4° | fits well |
| Vaonis Vespera 3 | 2.5° × 1.4° | fits well |
| ZWO Seestar S50 Pro | 2.45° × 1.38° | fits well |
| ZWO Seestar S30 | 2.14° × 1.21° | fits well |
| DWARFLAB DWARF mini | 2.13° × 1.2° | fits well |
| Celestron Origin Mark II | 1.32° × 0.75° | larger than the frame |
| ZWO Seestar S50 | 1.29° × 0.73° | larger than the frame |
| Unistellar Odyssey | 0.75° × 0.56° | larger than the frame |
| Unistellar Odyssey Pro | 0.75° × 0.56° | larger than the frame |
How high it gets from where you live
Highest altitude above a flat horizon. Below about 20° the image suffers from haze and light pollution; trees and roofs often block it completely.
| Latitude | Highest altitude |
|---|---|
| Oslo, 60° N | 25° |
| Amsterdam, 52° N | 33° |
| Madrid, 40° N | 45° |
| Miami, 26° N | 59° |
| Equator | 85° |
| Sydney, 34° S | 61° |
Nearby in the sky
Objects close to M42 in the sky, so you can image them in the same session.
Questions and answers
- Can I photograph M42 Orion Nebula from a city?
- Yes. It is bright enough to image from a suburb or even a city.
- Which smart telescope is best for M42 Orion Nebula?
- Seestar S30 Pro, DWARF 3, Vespera Pro 2 frame it best in a single frame, based on its size and each telescope's field of view.
- When is the best time to photograph M42 Orion Nebula?
- It is highest around midnight in December and well placed from both hemispheres. From 52° north it climbs to about 33° at most.