The Flame Nebula

space · nebula · glowing gas

Shaped like a flame. The Flame Nebula got its name because it looks like a giant flickering fire in the night sky. Its real scientific name is NGC 2024, but the fiery nickname is way more fun.

Made of glowing gas. This nebula is an emission nebula, which means it's mostly hydrogen gas that glows when baby stars nearby heat it up. The gas shines with a reddish-orange light, just like a real flame.

Far, far away. The Flame Nebula lives about 1,350 light-years from Earth. That means the light you see from it today actually left that nebula 1,350 years ago.

Part of a giant cloud. The Flame Nebula isn't alone. It's tucked inside the Orion B cloud, which is part of an even bigger group of clouds called the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex.

Stellar nursery. Emission nebulas like this one are where new stars are born. The gravity inside these clouds eventually pulls the gas together tightly enough to create fresh, young stars.