NGC2024 The Horsehead nebula in Orion 

        Object type:             Dark Cloud Nebula

        Distance from Earth:      1100 light years / 350 parsecs


        The Horsehead nebula is a dark dust cloud which lies in front
        of the emission nebula IC434.  The dust cloud is colliding with the
        emission nebula.  Some astronomers theorize that this may be the
        first stage in the formation of stars.  The Horsehead was used by
        American astronomers in 1918 as the first proof that dark nebulae 
        are not simply devoid of stars.
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