NGC 1999: South of Orion . ... Additional Color Data and Processing: Robert Gendler Explanation: South of the large star-forming region known as the Orion Nebula, lies bright blue reflection nebula NGC 1999 . At the edge of the Orion molecular cloud complex some 1,500 light-years distant, NGC 1999's illumination is provided by the embedded variable star V380 Orionis. ... The dark shape was once assumed to be an obscuring dust cloud seen in silhouette against the bright reflection nebula. ...