Astrophotographer spends nearly 70 hours capturing a delicate blue nebula in Orion (photo)

Astrophotographer Emil Andronic spent nearly 70 hours capturing the light of a beguiling reflection nebula near the head of the hunter in the constellation Orion, revealing impressive detail in the structure of the interstellar cloud as it glowed over the UK in late 2025.

Andronic's image reveals the blue reflection nebula designated Cederblad 51 glowing in the center of the image among the red clouds of the giant nebula SH 2-264. The region is also known as Orion's Head, owing to its proximity to the bright star Lambda Orionis, which represents the head of the celestial hunter.

Reflection nebulas are vast clouds of interstellar dust, that shine by scattering the blue light of nearby stars, according to NASA. Emission nebulas, meanwhile, glow with their own light, having been altered by the radiation of nearby stars.