Many people wonder what surrounds a hotbed of star formation. In this picture of Orion is is clear that the Orion Nebula is doing just that. This constellation is 16,000 light years away and contains intricate filaments of dust. The dust seen was made in the outer atmosphere of very large cool stars and is thrown out by a stronger outer wind of particles. A cool star, or carbon star is made up of more carbon than oxygen and is similar to a red giant. Another forming star cluser, Trapezium, is also found in this nebula. In the above image, there are brown filaments of dust surrounded M42 and M43. Much of Orion's dust will be destroyed by the stars being formed there or dispersed into the galaxy!
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