This emission and reflection nebula is part of the Orion molecular nebula complex: it is located in the sword of Orion, just north of the more famous M42. NGC 1977 is also known as the »Running Man Nebula«, due to the darker-reddish formation in the center of the nebula which resembles a sort of man running from right to left. The bluish parts of this nebula are gases illuminated by nearby blue stars, in particular by the blue star 42 Orionis.

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