Orion’s Belt

While you’re in the area, sweep across the silver-blue stars of Orion’s belt with binoculars or a finderscope. From east to west, the stars of Orion’s Belt are called Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka. These stars are, respectively, 800, 1300, and 900 light years away, and they are all young massive stars that burn extremely hot. Mintaka has a 7th-magnitude companion about 53″ away, easily visible in binoculars. Alnitak is bathed in nebulosity that includes IC434, the famed Horsehead Nebula. You will not, however, see this nebula visually. Look also for an S-shaped series of stars that starts above Mintaka, and sweeps down and ends between Alnilam and Alnitak.

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