Erica Hupp
Headquarters, Washington
(Phone: 202/358-1237)

Donna Weaver
Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md.
(Phone: 410/338-4493)

RELEASE NO.: STScI-PR06-01

NASA'S HUBBLE REVEALS THOUSANDS OF ORION NEBULA STARS

In one of the most detailed astronomical images ever produced,
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has captured an unprecedented look
at the Orion Nebula. This turbulent star formation region is
one of astronomy's most dramatic and photogenic celestial
objects. More than 3,000 stars of various sizes appear in this
image. Some of them have never been seen in visible light.
These stars reside in a dramatic dust-and-gas landscape of
plateaus, mountains, and valleys that are reminiscent of the
Grand Canyon. The Orion Nebula is a picture book of star
formation, from the massive, young stars that are shaping the
nebula to the pillars of dense gas that may be the homes of
budding stars.

For images and additional information about this research
on the Web, visit:

http://hubblesite.org/news/2006/01.

The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international
cooperation between NASA and the European Space Agency.
The Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore conducts
Hubble science operations. The Institute is operated for NASA
by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy,
Inc., Washington.