This lecture takes us to one of the most spectacular and dynamic nearby neighborhoods in the Milky Way. Located only 1350 light-years away, the Orion Nebula (M42) consists of a large cloud of gas and dust excited and illuminated from within by ultraviolet and visible light from a multiple-star system containing at least 8 stars, including 4 blue super giants. Rockland Astronomy Club’s planetary expert Keith Murdock will give a guided tour through the features of this stunningly beautiful nebula and its constantly evolving surroundings – The Orion Molecular Cloud. Keith will also explain some of the nebula’s astrophysics, illustrating why it is such a rich environment for forming new stars and planetary systems – a true Cradle of Creation.