Horsehead Nebula. Optical image of the area around the Horsehead Nebula (at centre right) in the constellation of Orion. The nebula is seen against the red cloud IC 434. The bright star at centre left, Alnitak, is above the nebula NGC 2024. Interstellar dust is seen bisecting NGC 2024 at its centre. The two small blue reflection nebulae at lower centre are IC 435 (lower of two) and NGC 2023. The image is from the UK Schmidt telescope in Siding Springs, Australia, which is run by the Royal Observatory in Edinburgh, Scotland. The telescope has a 1.8 metre primary mirror and a 1.2 metre correcting lens. North is at centre left.