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| Bernard's Loop Nebula |
| The Barnard's Loop Nebula(catalogue designation Sh 2-276) is an emission nebula in the constellation of Orion. It is part of a giant molecular cloud which also contains the bright Horsehead and Orion nebulae. The loop takes the form of a large arc centred approximately on the Orion Nebula. The stars within the Orion Nebula are believed to be responsible for ionizing the loop. The loop extends over about 600 arcminutes as seen from Earth, covering much of Orion. It is well seen in long-exposure photographs, although observers under very dark skies may be able to see it with the naked eye. |