Astronomy Picture of the Day [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2026 February 2 [2]A complex nebula is shown that is mostly blue and red on the left half and mostly brown on the right. Several bright stars are visible, and many filaments run through, in particular on brown dust filamnents on the image right. Please see the explanation for more detailed information. Orion: The Running Man Nebula Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Robert G. Lyons ([4]Robservatory) Explanation: What part of Orion is this? Just north of the famous [5]Orion Nebula is a picturesque [6]star forming region in [7]Orion's Sword that contains a lot of intricate [8]dust -- some of which appears blue because it reflects the light of [9]bright embedded stars. The region's popular name is the [10]Running Man Nebula because, looked at from the right, part of the brown dust appears to be running legs. Cataloged as [11]Sharpless 279, the reflection nebula is not only part of the [12]constellation of [13]Orion, but part of the greater [14]Orion molecular cloud complex. Light from the Running Man's bright stars, including [15]42 Orionis, the bright star closest to the [16]featured image center, is slowly destroying and reshaping the surrounding dust, which will likely be [17]completely gone in about 10 million years. The nebula spans about 15 [18]light years and lies about 1,500 light years away. Jigsaw Nebula: [19]Astronomy Puzzle of the Day Tomorrow's picture: spider webb __________________________________________________________________ [20]< | [21]Archive | [22]Submissions | [23]Index | [24]Search | [25]Calendar | [26]RSS | [27]Education | [28]About APOD | [29]Discuss | [30]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [31]Robert Nemiroff ([32]MTU) & [33]Jerry Bonnell ([34]UMCP) NASA Official: Amber Straughn [35]Specific rights apply. [36]NASA Web Privacy, [37]Accessibility, [38]Notices; A service of: [39]ASD at [40]NASA / [41]GSFC, [42]NASA Science Activation & [43]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2602/RunningMan_Lyons_3298.jpg 3. https://www.instagram.com/robservatory1/ 4. https://robservatory.ca/ 5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap251113.html 6. https://science.nasa.gov/universe/stars/ 7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orion's_Sword 8. https://science.nasa.gov/universe/dust-in-the-stellar-wind-a-cosmological-primer/ 9. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250825.html 10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap160113.html 11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sh_2-279 12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orion_(constellation) 13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap101226.html 14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orion_molecular_cloud_complex 15. https://theskylive.com/sky/stars/42-orionis-star 16. https://www.instagram.com/p/DTvh2abATrw/ 17. https://media.istockphoto.com/id/1029915086/photo/cat-leaving-the-house-through-cat-flap.jpg?s=612x612&w=0&k=20&c=xKa2CPQas0dy-hh6ZtiNhksHQd25Yzh42uJzTTjpFCA= 18. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/light-year/ 19. https://www.scigames.org/apps/webjigsaw2/index.php 20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260201.html 21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 24. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 26. https://apod.com/feed.rss 27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 29. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260202 30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260203.html 31. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 32. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 33. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 34. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 35. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 36. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 37. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/ 38. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/ 39. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 40. https://www.nasa.gov/ 41. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 42. https://science.nasa.gov/learners 43. http://www.mtu.edu/