Astrophotographer spends 115 hours capturing Horsehead Nebula in striking detail with backyard telescope

A nebula scene is shown with swirling clouds of brown, red and orange. Blue and white stars can be seen dotted throughout. (Image credit: Greg Meyer)

Astrophotographer Greg Meyer has shared a breathtaking new view of the iconic Horsehead Nebula (Barnard 33) rearing its head 1,600 light-years from Earth in the constellation Orion.

Meyer's image reveals the dark equine silhouette of opaque dust for which the nebula is named, backlit by glowing hydrogen gas energized by the ultraviolet radiation of nearby stars.