The bright star in this image is the left star on Orion's
belt (zeta Orionis, also called Alnitak). This star ionizes
parts of the vast hydrogen cloud that spreads throughout
Orion; when the electrons rejoin their atoms, the red glow
seen in this image results. Below Alnitak is the "Flame Nebula,"
with dark clouds of hydrogen and dust creating the lanes that you
see here. To the right of Alnitak, another dark cloud blocks part
of a large area of glowing hydrogen. This dark spot is designated
as B33, but the more common and more descriptive name for it is
"the horsehead nebula". A little below and to the left of the horsehead
is an area where starlight is reflected by the hydrogen cloud (NGC 2023).

Image data:
Camera: Olympus OM-1
Film: Ektachrome 1600
Exposure: 15 minutes
Telescope: 10" Schmidt-Newtonian