The "sword" of Orion hangs just below Orion's Belt. It has three main visible stars/objects:
- Top (closest to the Belt): 42 Orionis (c Ori), a hot blue star.
- Middle: Orion Nebula (M42) — not a single star, but a glowing star-forming region.
- Bottom (faintest): ι Orionis (Iota Orionis, also called Na'ir al Saif), a bright multiple star system.
So the Orion Nebula sits in the middle, while the stars at either end of the sword are 42 Orionis and Iota Orionis.
The three stars of Orion's Belt are very famous. From east (left, as seen from the Northern Hemisphere) to west (right):
- Alnitak (ζ Orionis): A triple star system, about 1,260 light-years away. The easternmost belt star.
- Alnilam (ε Orionis): A massive blue supergiant, the brightest of the belt. It's around 2,000 light-years distant.
- Mintaka (δ Orionis): A multiple star system, westernmost in the belt, about 1,200 light-years away.
In summary: the Belt is Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka. They line up neatly, making Orion one of the easiest constellations to spot.
The "sword" of Orion hangs just below Orion's Belt. It has three main visible stars/objects:
• Top (closest to the Belt): 42 Orionis (c Ori), a hot blue star.
• Middle: Orion Nebula (M42) — not a single star, but a glowing star-forming region.
• Bottom (faintest): ι Orionis (Iota Orionis, also called Na'ir al Saif), a bright multiple star system.
So the Orion Nebula sits in the middle, while the stars at either end of the sword are 42 Orionis and Iota Orionis.
