"Cosmic Saphire"
2nd Place - SPSP 2011 Astro-Imaging Competition

Lying about 1,600 light years away in the constellation of Orion, M78 (centre) is a bright reflection nebula belonging to the Orion complex, a large cloud of gas and dust which includes the Great Orion Nebula M42. Also visible is the variable McNeil's nebula (the first small fan shaped nebula at about the 1 o'clock position from M78) discovered in January 2004 by amateur astronomer Jay McNeil with his 3" refractor. Also visible is NGC 2071 (below left), NGC 2064 and NGC 2067.