Orion
Hunter
Solidification
Orion the Hunter, accompanied by his two dogs, Canis Major and Canis Minor, at his feet, lies on the celestial equator and can therefore be seen from most regions of the Earth. The most famous object in Orion is the Orion Nebula (M42), an emission nebula shown here. It is one of the most magnificent objects in the entire sky, and because its apparent size is more than twice that of the full Moon, it can be seen with the naked eye under suitable conditions. In M42, a cloud of glowing gas, new stars are being born.
This image shows the constellation Orion in its entirety. M42 is the Orion Nebula, located below Orion’s Belt (the three stars). Betelgeuse means “the armpit of the giant” in Arabic, while Rigel means “the left foot of the giant.”
There are probably countless beautiful photographs of Orion, but this image, said to have been taken above the Austrian Alps, reminded me of Sisask’s image of “Solidification.” The word “solidification” may sound a little difficult, but in the case of water, for example, it would mean “freezing.”
For people living in the Northern Hemisphere, Orion is often associated with winter. According to Hōei Nojiri, “On a freezing, cloudless winter night, the starry sky becomes breathtakingly beautiful, and the beauty and mystery of the stars that I discovered around Orion are something I cannot help but experience again, winter after winter, throughout my life.” Perhaps because of the crystal-clear winter air, Orion in this image also seems to shine with an even greater sense of mystery.
Sisask’s music for Orion possesses an overwhelming, radiant power, yet it cannot overcome the freezing cold. Unable to release all of its immense energy, it finally solidifies—freezes—and ends as if breathing its last. This is also the first piece in the Starry Sky Cycle to use extended techniques inside the piano. The repeated low notes, played while pressing the strings inside the piano with the fingers, sound muffled. Gradually, the heartbeat fades away, and the faint light that remains bears witness to the life that once existed. Incidentally, it might be interesting to imagine the notes E – G – B (H) contained in the opening chord as the three stars of Orion’s Belt while playing them.
Finally, I have gathered a few more wonderful images of Orion for you to enjoy.
Finally, I have gathered a few more wonderful images of Orion for you to enjoy.
This is the constellation Orion in its entirety, a fertile region of the sky. Let us take a closer look at some of the major celestial objects shown here.
There are six diffuse nebulae in the Messier Catalogue, three of which are located in Orion: M42, the Orion Nebula, which I mentioned at the beginning, M43, and this one, M78. Around M78, you can enjoy the intricate mixture of diffuse nebulae—a general term that includes reflection and emission nebulae—and dark nebulae.
M43 is located next to M42, the Orion Nebula, and may not stand out very much, but when viewed up close, it is a beautifully colored celestial object with a flowing appearance, like a waterfall. It is said to be a star-forming region composed of glowing hydrogen.
The shape protruding in the center like the knight in a chess set is the Horsehead Nebula. To the left of the Horsehead is the Flame Nebula, and the bright star in the upper left of the image is Alnilam, the middle of the three stars in Orion’s Belt.
This enormous diffuse nebula, a band resembling a blazing flame, is known as Barnard’s Loop. A leading explanation for its origin is a supernova explosion that occurred about two million years ago.
This is IC 2118, the Witch Head Nebula, a reflection nebula illuminated by the light of the blue supergiant Rigel in the upper right. So there was a witch in Orion, too!
When we take a closer look at Orion like this, it seems quite a flashy constellation, but in the night sky, it is still undeniably cool. Now, let us step back once again and enjoy the view of Orion alongside Mars, as seen from Monument Valley in the American Southwest.
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