Orion, Fleetwith Pike & ‘that’ tree

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The constellation of Orion shines brightly above beautiful Buttermere late one night.  A snow capped Fleetwith Pike, Haystack & High Stile with Honister pass and the lights of Gatesgarth Farm in the distance.

Orion, also know as ‘The Hunter’ is one of the most recognisable winter constellations and one I love to capture with my camera.  Top left of Orion you can see Betelgeuse, the 9th brightest star in the sky and a Supermassive red giant 750 times the mass of our sun.  Orion’s belt is made up of three stars, Alnitak, Alnilam & Mintaka.  If you zoom in on the star Alnitak you’d see The Horsehead & Flame Nebula, massive clouds of dust and gas 1375 light years away, a stellar nursery where stars are born.  Below the belt you can see the sword of Orion.  In the sword lies one of the most recognisable and brightest deep sky object (DSO), The Orion Nebula (M42) and also the Running Man nebula, again massive clouds of dust and gas.  To the right and below the branch of the famous tree you can see the star Rigel.  Rigel is a Supermassive blue giant and is the 6th brightest star in the sky.