orion88Notable Objects. Messier 42 is the famous Orion Nebula, a nearby and massive star forming region, about 1200 lht-years away. The Orion Nebula is pleasing to observe throughOrion is a prominent set of stars visible during winter in the northern celestial hemisphere.It is one of the 88 modern constellations; it was among the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd-century