IC 434

IC 434 is a bright emission nebula in the equatorial constellation of Orion. It was discovered on February 1,
1786 by German-British astronomer William Herschel.
The nebula is located at a distance of approximately 1,260 ly (385 pc) from the Sun and spans the interior of a neutral hydrogen shell with an angular size of 2° * 4°.
At that distance, the dimensions correspond to a projected size of 42 ly * 85 ly (13 pc * 26 pc).

IC 434 is surrounded by a shell of neutral hydrogen gas with the identifier GS206-17+13. The primary driving energy behind this expanding shell was likely supplied by the blue supergiant Epsilon Orionis.
The Horsehead Nebula The Horsehead Nebula is a dark nebula that is silouetted against the diffuse background of IC 434. It is protruding from the Orion B molecular cloud, which is part of the Orion molecular cloud complex.

Some interesting facts:

• IC 434 was discovered in 1786 by Sir William Herschel.
• IC 434 is not a Messier Object and doesn't have a Messier Number.