One constellation that ranks as a stargazer favorite is Orion. Visible in Winter/Spring, Orion features some wondrous views for those with telescopes, and even more amazing views can be obtained with space telescopes. This recently released image of the Orion Nebula (Messier Catalog 42) is based on infrared observations made by NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope and the European Space Agency’s Herschel Space Observatory.

Since Herschel is designed to observe in longer infrared wavelengths than Spitzer, combining the data helps astronomers better understand the processes taking place inside the Orion Nebula. The Spitzer data shows hotter objects in blue, whereas the cooler material (dust) in the Herschel data is shown in green and red.

If you’d like to learn more about the Spitzer Space Telescope, visit: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/mission
Read more about the Herschel Space Observatory at: http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/area/index.cfm?fareaid=16

Source: NASA Image of the Day Gallery