Orion
The hunter. Genitive Orionis, abbreviated Ori. Introduced by Ptolemy.
Area
594.13 sq°
26 of 88 by size
Brightest star
β Orionis
magnitude 0.12
Best seen
December
on the meridian at midnight
Visible from
Everywhere on Earth
some part above the horizon
Where it is
Principal stars
Every star to magnitude 4, brightest first.
| Star | Magnitude | HR |
|---|---|---|
| β Orionis | 0.12 | 1713 |
| α Orionis | 0.50 | 2061 |
| γ Orionis | 1.64 | 1790 |
| ε Orionis | 1.70 | 1903 |
| κ Orionis | 2.06 | 2004 |
| δ Orionis | 2.23 | 1852 |
| ι Orionis | 2.77 | 1899 |
| π3 Orionis | 3.19 | 1543 |
| η Orionis | 3.36 | 1788 |
| λ Orionis | 3.54 | 1879 |
| τ Orionis | 3.60 | 1735 |
| π4 Orionis | 3.69 | 1552 |
| π5 Orionis | 3.72 | 1567 |
| σ Orionis | 3.81 | 1931 |
Deep sky
Objects with a Messier number or a name people use.
| Object | Catalogue | Type | Magnitude | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M42 | Great Nebula in Orion · NGC 1976 | Nebula | 4.0 | 66.0 |
| M43 | NGC 1982 | Nebula | 9.0 | 20.0 |
| M78 | NGC 2068 | Nebula | 8.0 | 8.0 |
| Horsehead nebula | IC 434 | Nebula | — | 60.0 |
- Magnitude: — where NGC 2000 gives none.
- Size: the largest dimension, in arcminutes.
My Sky
Rise, highest and set over your place, for any night: Orion
Further info
Sources
Principal stars: Bright Star Catalogue
Deep sky: NGC 2000.0
Area and borders: IAU constellation boundaries
