256 ASTRONOMYANDTHEBIBLE
ThenebulaofOrionhasbeendescribedbyProfes-
sorLarkinas funnel-shaped,withtheopeningatthe
smaller end. This openingis markedby a multiple
star;and arounditthe nebulaseems to be formed,
likethepetalsofaflowerfrom itscenter. Thisre-
markablestarhasbeennamedbyastronomersTheta
Ononis,whichmeansthatstarinOrionwhichinpoint
of brightness comes afterthe other stars of Orion
relatively inthe sameplaceoccupiedby theletter^6
(th)intheGreekalphabet. Youwillsee,bythis,that
itisnotthebrighteststarinOrion. Thereareseven
starsprecedingitinpointofbrightness. Thebright-
eststarofOrion,orAlphaOrionis,isthestarBetel-
geuse,theupperleft-hand starofthe square. Beta
Orionis is inthe lower right of the square, and is
calledRigel. GammaOrionis forms theupper right
shoulder ofthe colossus as he faces us, and Kappa
Orionisishisleftfoot.
ThetaOrionisisintheopenspaceofOrion. Inthe
photograph,wehave indicatedbya whitelinewhere
tofindThetaOrionis,withitssurroundingopenspace.
Unfortunately, because of the bright light of the
nebula,brightestofall attheportion justaboutthe
open space,theverysensitivephotographicplatebe-
comesfoggedofmuchofthedetailseasilyseenbythe
eyethrough agoodtelescope. Tohelp youto gain
somethingofanideaofthestructureofthenebula,a
reproductionofanastronomer'sdrawingisgiven. By
payingcloseattention, youwillreadilyfindtheinter-
estingopenplaceinthenebula. Fixyoureyeonthe
largest,brightestpartofthenebula. Thisbrightpart