APOD: Orion Nebula in Surrounding Dust

This high definition photo of the Orion Nebula definitely caught my eye. This nebula, about 1600 light years away,  is a completely think cloud of dust that is completely opaque to light. This cloud surrounds both M 42 and M 43, which seem grey in the picture above. Other things in this nebula include the Trapezium star cluster. In the next few million years, this nebula will slowly dissipate and disperse into the Galaxy. The extremely high resolution and deep colors really popped to me and drew me to this picture. THis is a truly fantastic piece of art.