NGC 2174

Alt. Designations: NGC 2174, Monkey Head Nebula
Object Type: emission nebula
Constellation: Orion
Distance: 6.4 kly
Right Ascension: 06h 09m 23.6s
Declination: +20° 39´ 34"
Visual Magnitude:
Apparent Dimension: 40.0´ X 30.0´
Best Month To View: Dec

NGC 2174, also known as the "Monkey Head Nebula", is a lesser known object in the nebula-rich constellation Orion that can be found with binoculars near the head of the celestial hunter. About 6,400 light-years distant, the glowing cosmic cloud surrounds loose clusters of young stars. It covers an area larger than the full Moon.