The three bright stars at the center of this image form Orion’s Belt. All three stars are huge and heavy, and are destined to explode as supernovas. The bright orange star at top left, Betelgeuse, is Orion’s shoulder, while the bright blue star at lower right is Rigel, his foot. Wisps of gas and dust permeate the constellation. They include the Horsehead Nebula (just below the leftmost star in the Belt) and the Orion Nebula, below the belt. These structures are part of the complex that gave birth to Orion’s bright stars, and are continuing to spawn more stars today. [Rogelio Bernal Andreo/Wikipedia]
Find out more in our radio program entitled Orion’s Belt.