Editing Orion (constellation)

{{short description|Constellation straddling the celestial equator}}
{{Other uses|Orion (disambiguation)}}
{{Sky|05|30|00|+|00|00|00|10}}
{{pp-semi-sock|small=yes}}
{{Infobox constellation
| name = Orion
| abbreviation = Ori
| genitive   = Orionis
| pronounce  = {{IPAc-en|ɒ|ˈ|r|aɪ|.|ən}}
| symbolism  = [[Orion (mythology)|Orion]], the Hunter
| RA         = {{RA|5}}
| dec        = {{DEC|+5}}
| family     = [[Orion Family|Orion]]
| quadrant   = NQ1
| areatotal  = 594
| arearank   = 26th
| numbermainstars = 7
| numberbfstars   = 81
| numberstarsplanets = 10
| numberbrightstars = 8
| numbernearbystars = 8
| brighteststarname = [[Rigel]] (β Ori)
| starmagnitude   = 0.12
| neareststarname = [[GJ 3379]]
| stardistancely  = 17.51
| stardistancepc  = 5.37
| numbermessierobjects = 3
| meteorshowers   = [[Orionids]]<br />[[Chi Orionids]]
| bordering       = [[Gemini (constellation)|Gemini]]<br />[[Taurus (constellation)|Taurus]]<br />[[Eridanus (constellation)|Eridanus]]<br />[[Lepus (constellation)|Lepus]]<br />[[Monoceros (constellation)|Monoceros]]
| latmax    = [[85th parallel north|85]]
| latmin    = [[75th parallel south|75]]
| month     = January
| notes     = [[File:Orion 3008 huge.jpg|frameless|center|Click on to see large image.]]
}}

'''Orion''' is a prominent set of stars visible during winter in the [[northern celestial hemisphere]]. It is one of the [[IAU designated constellations|88 modern constellations]]; it was among [[:Category:Constellations listed by Ptolemy|the 48 constellations]] listed by the 2nd-century astronomer [[Ptolemy]]. It is named after [[Orion (mythology)|a hunter in Greek mythology]].

Orion is most prominent during winter evenings in the [[Northern Hemisphere]], as are five other constellations that have stars in the [[Winter Hexagon]] [[asterism (astronomy)|asterism]]. Orion's two brightest stars, [[Rigel]] (β) and [[Betelgeuse]] (α), are both among the [[List of brightest stars|brightest stars]] in the night sky; both are [[supergiant]]s and slightly [[variable star|variable]]. There are a further six stars brighter than magnitude 3.0, including three making the short straight line of the [[Orion's Belt]] [[asterism (astronomy)|asterism]]. Orion also hosts the [[radiant (meteor shower)|radiant]] of the annual [[Orionids]], the strongest [[meteor shower]] associated with [[Halley's Comet]], and the [[Orion Nebula]], one of the brightest [[nebula]]e in the sky.

==Characteristics==
[[File:OrionCC.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|left|The constellation of Orion, as it can be seen by the naked eye. Lines have been drawn.]]
Orion is bordered by Taurus to the northwest, Eridanus to the southwest, Lepus to the south, [[Monoceros (constellation)|Monoceros]] to the east, and Gemini to the northeast. Covering 594 [[square degree]]s, Orion ranks twenty-sixth of the 88 constellations in size. The constellation boundaries, as set by Belgian astronomer [[Eugène Joseph Delporte|Eugène Delporte]] in 1930, are defined by a polygon of 26 sides. In the [[equatorial coordinate system]], the [[right ascension]] coordinates of these borders lie between {{RA|04|43.3}} and {{RA|06|25.5}}, while the [[declination]] coordinates are between {{dec|22.87}} and {{dec|−10.97}}.<ref name="boundary">{{cite journal | title=Orion, Constellation Boundary | journal=The Constellations | publisher=International Astronomical Union | url=https://www.iau.org/public/themes/constellations/#ori | access-date=22 March 2013}}</ref> The constellation's three-letter abbreviation, as adopted by the [[International Astronomical Union]] in 1922, is "Ori".<ref name="pa30_469">{{cite magazine | last=Russell | first=Henry Norris | title=The New International Symbols for the Constellations | magazine=Popular Astronomy | volume=30 | pages=469–71 |bibcode=1922PA.....30..469R | date=1922}}</ref>

Orion is most visible in the evening sky from January to April,<ref>{{cite book|last1=Ellyard |first1=David|last2=Tirion |first2=Wil |date=2008 |title=The Southern Sky Guide|edition = 3rd|orig-year=1993|page=4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5Gn0ivM4EK0C&pg=PA4 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Port Melbourne, Victoria |isbn= 978-0-521-71405-1}}</ref> winter in the Northern Hemisphere, and summer in the Southern Hemisphere. In the tropics (less than about 8° from the equator), the constellation [[Astronomical transit|transits]] at the [[zenith]].

In the period May–July (summer in the Northern Hemisphere, winter in the Southern Hemisphere), Orion is in the daytime sky and thus invisible at most latitudes. However, for much of [[Antarctica]] in the Southern Hemisphere's winter months, the Sun is below the [[horizon]] even at midday. Stars (and thus Orion, but only the brightest stars) are then visible at twilight for a few hours around local noon, just in the brightest section of the sky low in the North where the Sun is just below the horizon. At the same time of day at the South Pole itself ([[Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station]]), Rigel is only 8° above the horizon, and the Belt sweeps just along it. In the Southern Hemisphere's summer months, when Orion is normally visible in the night sky, the constellation is actually not visible in Antarctica because the sun does not set at that time of year south of the Antarctic Circle.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dibonsmith.com/downunder.htm|title=A Beginner's Guide to the Heavens in the Southern Hemisphere|work=dibonsmith.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://skymaps.com/downloads.html|title=The Evening Sky Map Southern Hemisphere Edition|work=skymaps.com}}</ref>

In countries close to the equator (e.g., Kenya, Indonesia, Colombia, Ecuador), Orion appears overhead in December around midnight and in the February evening sky.

==Navigational aid==
{{See also|Celestial navigation}}
[[File:Orion-guide dark.svg|thumb|upright=1.2|left|Using Orion to find stars in neighbor constellations]]
Orion is very useful as an aid to locating other stars. By extending the line of the Belt southeastward, [[Sirius]] (α [[Canis Major|CMa]]) can be found; northwestward, [[Aldebaran]] (α [[Taurus (constellation)|Tau]]). A line eastward across the two shoulders indicates the direction of [[Procyon]] (α [[Canis Minor|CMi]]). A line from [[Rigel]] through [[Betelgeuse]] points to [[Castor (star)|Castor]] and [[Pollux (star)|Pollux]] (α [[Gemini (constellation)|Gem]] and β Gem). Additionally, Rigel is part of the [[Winter Hexagon|Winter Circle]] asterism. Sirius and [[Procyon]], which may be located from Orion by following imaginary lines (see map), also are points in both the [[Winter Triangle]] and the Circle.{{sfn|Staal|1988|p=61}}

==Features==
{{See also|List of stars in Orion}}
[[File:Sidney Hall - Urania's Mirror - Orion (best currently available version - 2014).jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|Orion as depicted in ''[[Urania's Mirror]]'', a set of [[star chart]] cards published in London {{Circa|1825}}]]
Orion's seven brightest stars form a distinctive hourglass-shaped asterism, or pattern, in the night sky. Four stars—Rigel, Betelgeuse, [[Bellatrix]], and [[Saiph]]—form a large roughly rectangular shape, at the center of which lie the three stars of [[Orion's Belt]]—[[Alnitak]], [[Alnilam]], and [[Mintaka]]. His head is marked by an additional 8th star called Meissa, which is fairly bright to the observer. Descending from the "belt" is a smaller line of three stars, [[Orion's Sword]] (the middle of which is in fact not a star but the [[Orion Nebula]]), also known as the hunter's sword.

Many of the stars are luminous hot blue supergiants, with the stars of the belt and sword forming the [[Orion OB1 association]]. Standing out by its red hue, Betelgeuse may nevertheless be a runaway member of the same group.

[[File:Orion 3D red-green.png|thumb|upright=1|Stars of the constellation by distance (red-green 3D view) and the brightness of each star (star size)]]

===Bright stars===
* [[Betelgeuse]], also [[Bayer designation|designated]] Alpha Orionis, is a massive [[M-type star|M-type]] red [[supergiant]] star nearing the end of its life. It is the second brightest star in Orion, and is a [[semiregular variable]] star.<ref name="alphaori">{{cite web|url=http://www.aavso.org/vstar/vsots/1200.shtml |title=Variable Star of the Month, Alpha Ori |access-date=2009-02-26 |work=Variable Star of the Season |publisher=[[American Association of Variable Star Observers]] |date=2000 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090122051337/http://www.aavso.org/vstar/vsots/1200.shtml |archive-date=January 22, 2009}}</ref> It serves as the "right shoulder" of the hunter (assuming that he is facing the observer). It is generally the eleventh brightest star in the night sky, but this has varied between being the tenth brightest to the 23rd brightest by the end of 2019.<ref>{{cite web | last=Dickinson | first=David | title=Waiting for Betelgeuse: What's Up with the Tempestuous Star? | website=Universe Today | date=2019-12-26 | url=https://www.universetoday.com/articles/waiting-for-betelgeuse-whats-up-with-the-tempestuous-star | access-date=2025-05-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/hr/2061.html |title=Betelgeuse |first=Chris |last=Dolan |access-date=2023-08-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111124073913/http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/hr/2061.html |archive-date=2011-11-24 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The end of its life is expected to result in a supernova explosion that will be highly visible from Earth, possibly outshining the Moon and being visible during the day. This is most likely to occur within the next 100,000 years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/26/world/betelgeuse-may-explode-scn-trnd/index.html|title=A giant red star is acting weird and scientists think it may be about to explode|first=Ryan |last=Prior|website=CNN|date=26 December 2019}}</ref>
* [[Rigel]], also known as Beta Orionis, is a [[B-type star|B-type]] blue supergiant that is the seventh brightest star in the night sky. Similar to Betelgeuse, Rigel is [[nuclear fusion|fusing]] [[heavy element]]s in its core and will pass its [[supergiant]] stage soon (on an astronomical timescale), either collapsing in the case of a [[supernova]] or shedding its outer layers and turning into a [[white dwarf]]. It serves as the left foot of the hunter.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.astro.uiuc.edu/~jkaler/sow/rigel.html |title=Rigel |access-date=2009-02-26 |work=Jim Kaler's Stars |publisher=[[University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign]] |date=2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090222164227/http://www.astro.uiuc.edu/~jkaler/sow/rigel.html |archive-date=February 22, 2009}}</ref>
* [[Bellatrix]] is designated Gamma Orionis by [[Johann Bayer]]. It is the twenty-seventh brightest star in the night sky. Bellatrix is considered a B-type blue giant, though it is too small to explode in a supernova. Bellatrix's luminosity is derived from its high temperature rather than a large radius.<ref name="UIUCBELLA">{{cite web|url=http://www.astro.uiuc.edu/~jkaler/sow/bellatrix.html |title=Bellatrix |access-date=2009-02-26 |work=Jim Kaler's Stars |publisher=[[University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign]] |date=2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090222164222/http://www.astro.uiuc.edu/~jkaler/sow/bellatrix.html |archive-date=February 22, 2009 }}</ref> Bellatrix marks Orion's left shoulder and it means the "female warrior", and is sometimes known colloquially as the "[[Amazons|Amazon]] Star".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/hr/1790.html |title=Bellatrix |first=Chris |last=Dolan |access-date=2023-08-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111130034354/http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/hr/1790.html |archive-date=2011-11-30 |url-status=dead }}</ref> It is the closest major star in Orion at only 244.6 [[Light-year|light years]] from the [[Solar System]].
* [[Delta Orionis|Mintaka]] is designated Delta Orionis, despite being the faintest of the three stars in [[Orion's Belt]]. Its name means "the belt". It is a [[multiple star system]], composed of a large B-type blue giant and a more massive [[O-type star|O-type]] main-sequence star. The Mintaka system constitutes an [[eclipsing binary]] variable star, where the eclipse of one star over the other creates a dip in brightness. Mintaka is the westernmost of the three stars of Orion's Belt, as well as the northernmost.{{sfn|Staal|1988|p=61}}
* [[Epsilon Orionis|Alnilam]] is designated Epsilon Orionis and is named for the Arabic phrase meaning "string of pearls".{{sfn|Staal|1988|p=61}} It is the middle and brightest of the three stars of Orion's Belt. Alnilam is a B-type blue supergiant; despite being nearly twice as far from the Sun as the other two belt stars, its luminosity makes it nearly equal in magnitude. Alnilam is losing mass quickly, a consequence of its size. It is the farthest major star in Orion at 1,344 light years.
* [[Alnitak]], meaning "the [[girdle]]", is designated Zeta Orionis, and is the easternmost star in Orion's Belt. It is a [[Multiple star|triple star]] system, with the primary star being a hot [[blue supergiant]] and the brightest [[O star|class O]] [[star]] in the night sky.
* [[Saiph]] is designated Kappa Orionis by Bayer, and serves as Orion's right foot. It is of a similar distance and size to Rigel, but appears much fainter. It means the "sword of the giant"
* [[Meissa]] is designated Lambda Orionis, forms Orion's head, and is a multiple star with a combined [[apparent magnitude]] of 3.33. Its name means the "shining one".

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ 8 Brightest Stars of Orion
|-
! Proper<br />name
!Bayer designation|| Light years
!Apparent magnitude
|- align="center"
|[[Betelgeuse]]
|α Orionis
| align="center" | 548
|0.50
|- align="center"
|[[Rigel]]
|β Orionis
| align="center" | 863
|0.13
|- align="center"
|[[Bellatrix]]
|γ Orionis
| align="center" |250
|1.64
|- align="center"
|[[Mintaka]]
|δ Orionis
| align="center" |1,200
|2.23
|- align="center"
|[[Alnilam]]
|ε Orionis
| align="center" |1,344
|1.69
|- align="center"
|[[Alnitak]]
|ζ Orionis
| align="center" |1,260
|1.77
|- align="center"
|[[Saiph]]
|κ Orionis
| align="center" |650
|2.09
|- align="center"
|[[Meissa]]
|λ Orionis
| align="center" |1,320
|3.33
|}

=== Belt ===
{{main|Orion's Belt}}
Orion's Belt or The Belt of Orion is an [[Asterism (astronomy)|asterism]] within the constellation. It consists of the three bright stars [[Zeta Orionis|Zeta]] (Alnitak), [[Epsilon Orionis|Epsilon]] (Alnilam), and [[Delta Orionis|Delta]] (Mintaka). Alnitak is around 800 light years away from Earth and is 100,000 times more luminous than the [[Sun]] and shines with magnitude 1.8; much of its radiation is in the ultraviolet range, which the human eye cannot see.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/alnitak.html |title=Alnitak |publisher=Stars.astro.illinois.edu |access-date=2012-05-16}}</ref> Alnilam is approximately 2,000 light years away from Earth, shines with magnitude 1.70, and with ultraviolet light is 375,000 times more luminous than the Sun.<ref name="alnilam">{{cite web|url=http://stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/alnilam.html|title=Alnilam|date=2009|work=Jim Kaler's Stars|publisher=[[University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111124061549/http://stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/alnilam.html|archive-date=2011-11-24|access-date=2011-11-28}}</ref> Mintaka is 915 light years away and shines with magnitude 2.21. It is 90,000 times more luminous than the Sun and is a double star: the two orbit each other every 5.73 days.<ref name="kalerMintaka">{{cite web|url=http://stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/mintaka.html|title=Mintaka|date=2009|work=Jim Kaler's Stars|publisher=[[University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111124061332/http://stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/mintaka.html|archive-date=2011-11-24|access-date=2011-11-28}}</ref> In the Northern Hemisphere, Orion's Belt is best visible in the night sky during the month of January around 9:00 pm, when it is approximately around the local [[meridian (astronomy)|meridian]].<ref name=dolanOrion>{{cite web |url=http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/constellations/Orion.html |title=Orion |first=Chris |last=Dolan |access-date=2011-11-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111207101513/http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/constellations/Orion.html |archive-date=2011-12-07 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Just southwest of Alnitak lies [[Sigma Orionis]], a multiple star system composed of five stars that have a combined apparent magnitude of 3.7 and lying 1150 light years distant. Southwest of Mintaka lies the quadruple star [[Eta Orionis]].

===Sword===
[[Orion's Sword]] contains the [[Orion Nebula]], the [[Messier 43]] nebula, the [[Running Man Nebula]], and the stars [[Theta Orionis]], [[Iota Orionis]], and [[42 Orionis]].

===Head===
Three stars comprise a small triangle that marks the head. The apex is marked by [[Meissa]] (Lambda Orionis), a hot blue giant of spectral type O8 III and apparent magnitude 3.54, which lies some 1100 light years distant. Phi-1 and Phi-2 Orionis make up the base. Also nearby is the very young star [[FU Orionis]].

===Club===
Stretching north from Betelgeuse are the stars that make up Orion's club. [[Mu Orionis]] marks the elbow, [[Nu Orionis|Nu]] and [[Xi Orionis|Xi]] mark the handle of the club, and [[Chi1 Orionis|Chi<sup>1</sup>]] and [[Chi2 Orionis|Chi<sup>2</sup>]] mark the end of the club. Just east of Chi<sup>1</sup> is the Mira-type variable red giant [[U Orionis]].

===Shield===
West from Bellatrix lie six stars all designated [[Pi Orionis]] ([[Pi1 Orionis|π<sup>1</sup> Ori]], [[Pi2 Orionis|π<sup>2</sup> Ori]], [[Pi3 Orionis|π<sup>3</sup> Ori]], [[Pi4 Orionis|π<sup>4</sup> Ori]], [[Pi5 Orionis|π<sup>5</sup> Ori]] and [[Pi6 Orionis|π<sup>6</sup> Ori]]) which make up Orion's shield.

===Meteor showers===
Around 20 October each year the [[Orionids|Orionid meteor shower]] (Orionids) reaches its peak. Coming from the border with the constellation Gemini as many as 20 meteors per hour can be seen.<!-- not cited with an inline citation --> The shower's parent body is [[Halley's Comet]].<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine = Sky & Telescope |date = September 2012 |last = Jenniskens |first = Peter |page = 22 |title = Mapping Meteoroid Orbits: New Meteor Showers Discovered}}</ref>

===Deep-sky objects===
[[File:Orion Head to Toe.jpg|thumb|upright|This view brings out many fainter features, such as [[Barnard's Loop]].]]
Hanging from Orion's belt is his sword, consisting of the multiple stars θ1 and θ2 Orionis, called the [[Trapezium (astronomy)|Trapezium]] and the [[Orion Nebula]] (M42). This is a spectacular object that can be clearly identified with the naked eye as something other than a star. Using binoculars, its clouds of nascent stars, luminous gas, and dust can be observed. The Trapezium cluster has many newborn stars, including several [[brown dwarfs]], all of which are at an approximate distance of 1,500 light-years. Named for the four bright stars that form a [[trapezoid]], it is largely illuminated by the brightest stars, which are only a few hundred thousand years old. Observations by the [[Chandra X-ray Observatory]] show both the extreme temperatures of the main stars—up to 60,000 [[kelvin]]s—and the [[star formation|star forming regions]] still extant in the surrounding nebula.<ref name="objects">{{cite book |title = 300 Astronomical Objects: A Visual Reference to the Universe |last1=Wilkins |first1=Jamie |last2=Dunn |first2=Robert |publisher=Firefly Books |date=2006 |edition=1st |location=Buffalo, New York |isbn=978-1-55407-175-3}}</ref>

[[Messier 78|M78]] (NGC 2068) is a nebula in Orion. With an overall magnitude of 8.0, it is significantly dimmer than the Great Orion Nebula that lies to its south; however, it is at approximately the same distance, at 1600 light-years from Earth. It can easily be mistaken for a [[comet]] in the eyepiece of a telescope. M78 is associated with the [[variable star]] [[V351 Orionis]], whose magnitude changes are visible in very short periods of time.{{sfn|Levy|2005|pp=99–100}} Another fairly bright nebula in Orion is [[NGC 1999]], also close to the Great Orion Nebula. It has an integrated magnitude of 10.5 and is 1500 light-years from Earth. The variable star [[V380 Orionis]] is embedded in NGC 1999.{{sfn|Levy|2005|p=107}}

Another famous [[nebula]] is [[Index Catalogue|IC]] 434, the [[Horsehead Nebula]], near ζ Orionis. It contains a dark dust cloud whose shape gives the nebula its name.

[[NGC 2174]] is an [[emission nebula]] located 6400 light-years from Earth.

Besides these nebulae, surveying Orion with a small [[telescope]] will reveal a wealth of interesting deep-sky objects, including [[Messier 43|M43]], [[Messier 78|M78]], as well as multiple stars including [[Iota Orionis]] and [[Sigma Orionis]]. A larger telescope may reveal objects such as the [[Flame Nebula]] (NGC 2024), as well as fainter and tighter multiple stars and nebulae. [[Barnard's Loop]] can be seen on very dark nights or using [[long-exposure photography]].

All of these nebulae are part of the larger [[Orion molecular cloud complex]], which is located approximately 1,500 light-years away and is hundreds of light-years across. It is one of the most intense regions of stellar formation visible within the Milky Way Galaxy.

==History and mythology==
The distinctive pattern of Orion is recognized in numerous cultures around the world, and many myths are associated with it. Orion is used as a symbol in the modern world.

===Ancient Near East===
[[File:Orion (constellation) Art.svg|thumb|upright=1|left|Orion (constellation) Art]]
The [[Babylonian star catalogues]] of the [[Late Bronze Age]] name Orion ''{{lang|sux-Latn|<sup>MUL</sup>SIPA.ZI.AN.NA}}'',<ref group="note">The [[determiner (cuneiform)|determiner glyph]] for "constellation" or "star" in these lists is '''MUL''' ({{Script|Xsux|𒀯}}). See [[Babylonian star catalogues]].</ref> "The Heavenly Shepherd" or "True Shepherd of Anu" – Anu being the chief god of the heavenly realms.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Rogers | first1 = John H. | year = 1998 | title = Origins of the ancient constellations: I. The Mesopotamian traditions | url = http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1998JBAA..108....9R| journal = Journal of the British Astronomical Association | volume = 108 | issue = | pages = 9–28 | bibcode = 1998JBAA..108....9R }}</ref> The Babylonian constellation is sacred to [[Papsukkal|Papshukal]] and [[Ninshubur]], both minor gods fulfilling the role of 'messenger to the gods'. Papshukal is closely associated with the figure of a walking [[bird]] on Babylonian boundary stones, and on the star map the figure of the [[Rooster]] is located below and behind the figure of the True Shepherd—both constellations represent the herald of the gods, in his bird and human forms respectively.<ref>''Babylonian Star-lore'' by Gavin White, Solaria Pubs, 2008, page 218ff & 170</ref>

In [[ancient Egypt]], the stars of Orion were regarded as a [[ancient Egyptian deities|god]], called [[Sah (god)|Sah]]. Because Orion rises before [[Sirius]], the star whose [[heliacal rising]] was the basis for the [[Solar calendar|Solar]] [[Egyptian calendar]], Sah was closely linked with [[Sopdet]], the goddess who personified Sirius. The god [[Sopdu]] is said to be the son of Sah and Sopdet. Sah is [[ancient Egyptian deities#Manifestations and combinations|syncretized]] with [[Osiris]], while Sopdet is syncretized with Osiris' mythological wife, [[Isis]]. In the [[Pyramid Texts]], from the 24th and 23rd centuries BC, Sah is one of many gods whose form the dead [[pharaoh]] is said to take in the afterlife.<ref>Wilkinson, Richard H. (2003). ''The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt''. Thames & Hudson. pp. 127, 211</ref>

The [[Armenians]] identified their legendary patriarch and founder [[Hayk]] with Orion. ''Hayk'' is also the name of the Orion constellation in the Armenian translation of the [[Bible]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Asia/Armenia/_Texts/KURARM/8*.html|title=History of Armenia |first=Vahan |last=Kurkjian |author-link=Vahan Kurkjian |publisher=Michigan|date=1968|at=8|work=uchicago.edu}}</ref>

The Bible mentions Orion three times, naming it "Kesil" (כסיל, literally – fool). Though, this name perhaps is etymologically connected with "Kislev", the name for the ninth month of the Hebrew calendar (i.e. November–December), which, in turn, may derive from the Hebrew root K-S-L as in the words "kesel, kisla" (כֵּסֶל, כִּסְלָה, hope, positiveness), i.e. hope for winter rains.: [[Book of Job|Job]] 9:9 ("He is the maker of the Bear and Orion"), Job 38:31 ("Can you loosen Orion's belt?"), and [[Book of Amos|Amos]] 5:8 ("He who made the [[Pleiades]] and Orion").

In ancient [[Aram (Biblical region)|Aram]], the constellation was known as ''N<sup>e</sup>phîlā′'', the ''[[Nephilim]]'' are said to be Orion's descendants.<ref>''[[Peake's commentary on the Bible]]'', 1962, page 260 section 221f.</ref>

===Greco-Roman antiquity===
{{Main|Orion (mythology)}}
In [[Greek mythology]], Orion was a gigantic, supernaturally strong hunter,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/orion.html|title=Star Tales – Orion|website=www.ianridpath.com}}</ref> born to [[Euryale (Gorgon)|Euryale]], a [[Gorgon]], and [[Poseidon]] ([[Neptune (mythology)|Neptune]]), god of the sea. One myth recounts [[Gaia (mythology)|Gaia]]'s rage at Orion, who dared to say that he would kill every animal on Earth. The angry goddess tried to dispatch Orion with a [[scorpion]]. This is given as the reason that the constellations of [[Scorpius (constellation)|Scorpius]] and Orion are never in the sky at the same time. However, [[Ophiuchus]], the Serpent Bearer, revived Orion with an [[antidote]]. This is said to be the reason that the constellation of Ophiuchus stands midway between the Scorpion and the Hunter in the sky.{{sfn|Staal|1988|pp=61–62}}

The constellation is mentioned in [[Horace]]'s ''[[Ode]]s'' (Ode 3.27.18), [[Homer]]'s ''[[Odyssey]]'' (Book 5, line 283) and ''[[Iliad]]'', and [[Virgil]]'s ''[[Aeneid]]'' (Book 1, line 535).

===Middle East===
[[File:Book of the Fixed Stars Auv0333 Orion.jpg|thumb|upright=1|As depicted in the 962 A.D. Persian astronomical text [[Book of Fixed Stars]]. In this representation Orion is shown as on a globe, so it appears reversed by comparison with its appearance in the sky.]]
In medieval [[Muslim astronomy]], Orion was known as ''al-jabbar'', "the giant".<ref>{{cite book|last=Metlitzki|first=Dorothee|author-link=Dorothee Metlitzki|title=The Matter of Araby in Medieval England|date=1977|publisher=Yale University Press|location=United States|isbn=0-300-11410-9|page=79|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=61OjyWngtdsC&pg=PA79}}</ref> Orion's sixth brightest star, [[Saiph]], is named from the Arabic, ''saif al-jabbar'', meaning "sword of the giant".<ref name=kaler>{{citation | first1=James B. | last1=Kaler | work=Stars | title=SAIPH (Kappa Orionis) | publisher=University of Illinois | url=http://stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/saiph.html | access-date=2012-01-27 }}</ref>

===China===
In [[China]], Orion was one of the [[Twenty-eight mansions|28 lunar mansions]] ''Sieu (Xiù)'' (宿). It is known as [[Three Stars (Chinese constellation)|''Shen'' (參)]], literally meaning "three", for the stars of Orion's Belt. (See [[Chinese constellations]])

The [[Chinese character]] 參 ([[pinyin]] shēn) originally meant the constellation Orion ({{zh|c=參宿|p=shēnxiù}}); its [[Shang dynasty]] version, over three millennia old, contains at the top a representation of the three stars of Orion's belt atop a man's head (the bottom portion representing the sound of the word was added later).<ref>漢語大字典 Hànyǔ Dàzìdiǎn (in Chinese), 1992 (p.163). 湖北辭書出版社和四川辭書出版社 Húbĕi Cishu Chūbǎnshè and Sìchuān Cishu Chūbǎnshè, re-published in traditional character form by 建宏出版社 Jiànhóng Publ. in Taipei, Taiwan; {{ISBN|957-813-478-9}}</ref>

===India===
The ''[[Rigveda]]'' refers to the Orion Constellation as '''Mriga''' (The [[Deer]]).<ref>{{cite journal|last=Holay |first=P. V.|title=Vedic astronomers|journal=Bulletin of the Astronomical Society of India|year=1998|volume=26|pages=91–106|bibcode=1998BASI...26...91H|doi=10.1080/1468936042000282726821|s2cid=26503807 }}</ref> 

[[Nataraja]], 'the cosmic dancer', is often interpreted as the representation of Orion. [[Rudra]], the Rigvedic form of [[Shiva]], is the presiding deity of Ardra nakshatra ([[Betelgeuse]]) of [[Hindu astrology]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Srinivasan |first=Sharada|title=Vedic astronomers|journal=World Archaeology|year=1998|volume=36|pages=432–50|doi=10.1080/1468936042000282726821|bibcode=1998BASI...26...91H|s2cid=26503807}}</ref>

The [[Jain symbols|Jain Symbol]] carved in [[:File:Udaygiri & Khandagiri Caves, Bhubaneswar (26) - Oct 2010.jpg|Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves]], India in 1st century BCE<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://asimustsee.nic.in/udayagiri.php|title="Must See" Indian Heritage|website=asimustsee.nic.in|access-date=2020-04-17}}</ref> has striking resemblance with Orion.

[[Bugis]] sailors identified the three stars in Orion's Belt as ''tanra tellué'', meaning "sign of three".<ref name="kelley11">{{cite book|author1=Kelley, David H. |author2=Milone, Eugene F. |author3=Aveni, A.F. |title=Exploring Ancient Skies: A Survey of Ancient and Cultural Astronomy|publisher=Springer|location=New York, New York|year=2011|page=344|isbn=978-1-4419-7623-9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ILBuYcGASxcC&pg=PA307}}</ref>

===European folklore===
In old [[Hungarian people|Hungarian]] tradition, Orion is known as "Archer" (''Íjász''), or "Reaper" (''Kaszás''). In recently rediscovered myths, he is called [[Nimrod]] ([[Hungarian language|Hungarian]]: ''Nimród''), the greatest hunter, father of the twins [[Hunor and Magor]]. The π and o stars (on upper right) form together the [[reflex bow]] or the lifted scythe. In other Hungarian traditions, Orion's belt is known as "Judge's stick" (''Bírópálca'').<ref>Toroczkai-Wigand Ede : Öreg csillagok ("Old stars"), Hungary (1915) reedited with Műszaki Könyvkiadó METRUM (1988).</ref>

In [[Scandinavia]]n tradition, Orion's belt was known as "[[Frigg]]'s [[Distaff]]" (''friggerock'') or "[[Freyja]]'s distaff".<ref>Schön, Ebbe. (2004). ''Asa-Tors hammare, Gudar och jättar i tro och tradition''. Fält & Hässler, Värnamo. p. 228.</ref>

The [[Finns]] call Orion's belt and the stars below it "[[Väinämöinen]]'s [[scythe]]" (''Väinämöisen viikate'').<ref>{{cite web|first=Ismo |last=Elo |url=http://www.ursa.fi/yhd/uranus/luennot%202004/perusteet/tahdet.htm |title=Tähdet ja tähdistöt |publisher=Ursa.fi |access-date=October 16, 2013}}</ref> Another name for the [[Asterism (astronomy)|asterism]] of Alnilam, Alnitak and Mintaka is "Väinämöinen's Belt" (''Väinämöisen vyö'') and the stars "hanging" from the belt as "[[Kalevi (mythology)|Kaleva]]'s [[sword]]" (''Kalevanmiekka'').

In [[Siberia]], the [[Chukchi people]] see Orion as a hunter; an arrow he has shot is represented by Aldebaran (Alpha Tauri), with the same figure as other Western depictions.{{sfn|Staal|1988|p=63}}

There are claims in popular media that the [[Adorant from the Geißenklösterle cave]], an ivory carving estimated to be 35,000 to 40,000 years old, is the first known depiction of the constellation. Scholars dismiss such interpretations, saying that perceived details such as a belt and sword derive from preexisting features in the grain structure of the ivory.<ref>''The Oxford Handbook of Prehistoric Figurines'', ed. Timothy Insoll, 2017, Oxford University Press, {{ISBN|0199675619}}, 9780199675616, [https://books.google.com/books?id=TdKdDgAAQBAJ&pg=PA853 google books]</ref><ref>{{cite conference |last1=Rappenglück |first1=Michael |date=2001 |title=The Anthropoid in the Sky: Does a 32,000 Years Old Ivory Plate Show the Constellation Orion Combined with a Pregnancy Calendar |conference=IXth Annual meeting of the European Society for Astronomy in Culture (SEAC) |publisher=Uppsala Astronomical Observatory |pages=51–55 |book-title=Symbols, Calendars and Orientations: Legacies of Astronomy in Culture}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Decorated Plate of the Geißenklösterle, Germany |url=http://www2.astronomicalheritage.net/index.php/show-entity?identity=3&idsubentity=1 |access-date=26 February 2014 |website=UNESCO: Portal to the Heritage of Astronomy}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Whitehouse |first=David |date=January 21, 2003 |title='Oldest star chart' found |publisher=BBC |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2679675.stm |access-date=26 February 2014}}</ref>

===Americas===
The [[Seri people]] of northwestern Mexico call the three stars in the belt of Orion ''Hapj'' (a name denoting a hunter) which consists of three stars: ''Hap'' (mule deer), ''Haamoja'' (pronghorn), and ''Mojet'' (bighorn sheep). ''Hap'' is in the middle and has been shot by the hunter; its blood has dripped onto [[Tiburón Island]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Moser |first1=Mary B. |first2=Stephen A. |last2=Marlett |title=Comcáac quih yaza quih hant ihíip hac: Diccionario seri-español-inglés |url=http://lengamer.org/admin/language_folders/seri/user_uploaded_files/links/File/DiccionarioSeri2005.pdf |date=2005 |publisher=Universidad de Sonora and Plaza y Valdés Editores |location=Hermosillo, Sonora and Mexico City|language=es, en}}</ref>

The same three stars are known in Spain and most of Latin America as "Las tres Marías" (Spanish for "[[The Three Marys]]").
In Puerto Rico, the three stars are known as the "Los Tres Reyes Magos" (Spanish for [[Biblical Magi|The three Wise Men]]).<ref name="elnuevodia.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.elnuevodia.com/tresreyesmagosenelcieloestanoche-1421862.html |title=Home – El Nuevo Día |publisher=Elnuevodia.com |access-date=October 16, 2013 |archive-date=October 24, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131024111539/http://www.elnuevodia.com/tresreyesmagosenelcieloestanoche-1421862.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The [[Ojibwa| Ojibwa/Chippewa]] Native Americans call this constellation Mesabi for Big Man.<ref>Discover the Range, Explore Minnesota, 2025 [https://www.exploreminnesota.com/profile/discover-range/2052]</ref>

To the [[Lakota people|Lakota]] Native Americans, Tayamnicankhu (Orion's Belt) is the spine of a bison. The great rectangle of Orion is the bison's ribs; the Pleiades star cluster in nearby Taurus is the bison's head; and Sirius in Canis Major, known as Tayamnisinte, is its tail. Another Lakota myth mentions that the bottom half of Orion, the Constellation of the Hand, represented the arm of a chief that was ripped off by the [[Thunder People]] as a punishment from the gods for his selfishness. His daughter offered to marry the person who can retrieve his arm from the sky, so the young warrior Fallen Star (whose father was a star and whose mother was human) returned his arm and married his daughter, symbolizing harmony between the gods and humanity with the help of the younger generation. The index finger is represented by Rigel; the Orion Nebula is the thumb; the Belt of Orion is the wrist; and the star [[Beta Eridani]] is the pinky finger.<ref name="www.windows2universe.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.windows2universe.org/mythology/hand_orion.html |title=Windows to the Universe |publisher=Windows2universe.org|access-date=January 13, 2017}}</ref>

===Austronesian===
{{main|Heiheionakeiki}}
The seven primary stars of Orion make up the [[Polynesian constellation]] Heiheionakeiki which represents a child's string figure similar to a [[cat's cradle]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://pvs.kcc.hawaii.edu/ike/hookele/hawaiian_star_lines.html#ke_ka_o_makalii | title=Hawaiian Star Lines }}</ref> Several [[Prehistory of the Philippines|precolonial Filipinos]] referred to the belt region in particular as "balatik" (ballista) as it resembles a trap of the same name which fires arrows by itself and is usually used for catching pigs from the bush.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Scott |first1=William Henry |title=Barangay: Sixteenth-Century Philippine Culture and Society |date=1994 |publisher=Ateneo de Manila University Press |location=Quezon City, Manila, Philippines |isbn=9789715501354 |page=124}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Encarnación |first1=Juan Félix |url=http://bdh.bne.es/bnesearch/detalle/bdh0000054797 |title=Diccionario bisaya español [Texto impreso] |date=1885 |page=30 |language=es, ceb}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://journals.upd.edu.ph/index.php/pssr/article/view/1287/1833#page=5 | title=BALATIK: Katutubong Bituin ng mga Pilipino &#124; Philippine Social Sciences Review }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.flipscience.ph/space/pinoy-ethnoastronomy/ | title=Pinoy ethnoastronomy: How the stars guided our ancestors - FlipScience | date=18 December 2020 }}</ref> Spanish colonization later led to some ethnic groups referring to Orion's belt as "Tres Marias" or "Tatlong Maria."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://philippineculturaleducation.com.ph/balatik/ | title=Balátik }}</ref>

In [[Māori people|Māori]] tradition, the star [[Rigel]] (known as ''Puanga'' or ''Puaka'') is closely connected with the celebration of [[Matariki]]. The rising of Matariki (the [[Pleiades]]) and Rigel before sunrise in midwinter marks the start of the Māori year.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://teu.ac.nz/news/puanga-the-star-that-heralds-matariki|title=Puanga: The star that heralds Matariki  |website=Tertiary Education Union/Te Hautū Kahurangi|access-date=10 May 2022}}</ref>

In [[Javanese culture]], the constellation is often called ''Lintang Waluku'' or ''Bintang Bajak'', referring to the shape of a [[paddy field]] plow.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.detik.com/jogja/budaya/d-7337799/mengenal-lintang-waluku-rasi-bintang-fenomenal-yang-menjadi-pranata-mangsa|title= Mengenal lintang waluku, rasi bintang fenomenal yang menjadi pranata mangsa|website=DetikJogja|access-date=16 July 2024}}</ref>

===Contemporary symbolism===
The imagery of the belt and sword has found its way into popular western culture, for example in the form of the shoulder insignia of the [[27th Infantry Division (United States)|27th Infantry Division]] of the [[United States Army]] during both World Wars, probably owing to a pun on the name of the division's first commander, Major General [[John F. O'Ryan|John F. ''O'Ryan'']].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hart |first=Albert Bushnell |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-o8VAAAAYAAJ&q=%2227th+division%22+%22o%27ryan%22+%22orion%22&pg=PA358 |title=Harper's Pictorial Library of the World War, Volume 5 |date=1920 |publisher=Harper & Brothers |location=New York |page=358}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Moss |first1=James Alfred |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gRRCAQAAMAAJ&q=%2227th+division%22+%22nyd%22+division&pg=PA555 |title=America in Battle: With Guide to the American Battlefields in France and Belgium |last2=Howland |first2=Harry Samuel |date=1920 |publisher=Geo. Banta Publishing Co. |location=Menasha, Wisconsin |page=555}}</ref>

The film distribution company [[Orion Pictures]] used the constellation as its logo.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Kim |first1=Wook |title=Mountain to Moon: 10 Movie Studio Logos and the Stories Behind Them |url=https://entertainment.time.com/2012/09/24/mountain-to-moon-10-movie-studio-logos-and-the-stories-behind-them/slide/orion/ |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time.com]] |access-date=2015-09-22 |date=2012-09-21}}</ref>

===Depictions===
[[File:Aratea 58v.jpg|thumb|upright=1|left|Orion in the 9th century [[Leiden Aratea]]]]
In artistic renderings, the surrounding constellations are sometimes related to Orion: he is depicted standing next to the river [[Eridanus (constellation)|Eridanus]] with his two hunting dogs [[Canis Major]] and [[Canis Minor]], fighting [[Taurus (constellation)|Taurus]]. He is sometimes depicted hunting [[Lepus (constellation)|Lepus]] the [[hare]]. He sometimes is depicted to have a lion's hide in his hand.

There are alternative ways to visualise Orion. From the [[Southern Hemisphere]], Orion is oriented south-upward, and the belt and sword are sometimes called the saucepan or pot in [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]]. Orion's Belt is called ''Drie Konings'' (Three Kings) or the ''Drie Susters'' (Three Sisters) by [[Afrikaans language|Afrikaans]] speakers in [[South Africa]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.psychohistorian.org/astronomy/ethnoastronomy/three_kings_cape_clouds.php|title=The Three Kings and the Cape Clouds: Two astronomical puzzles|work=psychohistorian.org|access-date=2009-06-27|archive-date=2010-01-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100129083441/http://www.psychohistorian.org/astronomy/ethnoastronomy/three_kings_cape_clouds.php|url-status=dead}}</ref> and are referred to as ''les Trois Rois<!--or Troys Roys-->'' (the Three Kings) in [[Alphonse Daudet|Daudet]]'s ''Lettres de Mon Moulin'' (1866). The appellation ''Driekoningen'' (the Three Kings) is also often found in 17th- and 18th-century Dutch star charts and seaman's guides. The same three stars are known in [[Spain]], [[Latin America]], and the [[Philippines]] as "Las Tres Marías" (The Three Marys), and as "Los Tres Reyes Magos" (The three Wise Men) in Puerto Rico.<ref name="elnuevodia.com" />

Even traditional depictions of Orion have varied greatly. [[Cicero]] drew Orion in a similar fashion to the modern depiction. The Hunter held an unidentified animal skin aloft in his right hand; his hand was represented by [[Omicron2 Orionis|Omicron<sup>2</sup> Orionis]] and the skin was represented by the 5 stars designated [[Pi Orionis]]. Kappa and Beta Orionis represented his left and right knees, while Eta and Lambda Leporis were his left and right feet, respectively. As in the modern depiction, Delta, Epsilon, and Zeta represented his belt. His left shoulder was represented by Alpha Orionis, and Mu Orionis made up his left arm. Lambda Orionis was his head and Gamma, his right shoulder. The depiction of [[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]] was similar to that of Cicero, though the two differed in a few important areas. Cicero's animal skin became Hyginus's shield (Omicron and Pi Orionis), and instead of an arm marked out by Mu Orionis, he holds a club (Chi Orionis). His right leg is represented by Theta Orionis and his left leg is represented by Lambda, Mu, and Epsilon Leporis. Further Western European and Arabic depictions have followed these two models.{{sfn|Staal|1988|p=63}}

==Future==
[[File:OrionProper.gif|thumb|upright=1|Animation showing Orion's proper motion from 50000 BC to 50000 AD. [[Pi3 Orionis]] moves the most rapidly.]]
Orion is located on the celestial equator, but it will not always be so located due to the effects of [[precession]] of the Earth's axis. Orion lies well south of the [[ecliptic]], and it only happens to lie on the celestial equator because the point on the ecliptic that corresponds to the June solstice is close to the border of [[Gemini (constellation)|Gemini]] and [[Taurus (constellation)|Taurus]], to the north of Orion. Precession will eventually carry Orion further south, and by AD 14000, Orion will be far enough south that it will no longer be visible from the latitude of Great Britain.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/moonkmft/Articles/Precession.html |title=Precession |publisher=Myweb.tiscali.co.uk |access-date=2012-05-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723065734/http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/moonkmft/Articles/Precession.html |archive-date=2018-07-23 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Further in the future, Orion's stars will gradually move away from the constellation due to [[proper motion]]. However, Orion's brightest stars all lie at a large distance from the Earth on an astronomical scale—much farther away than [[Sirius]], for example. Orion will still be recognizable long after most of the other constellations—composed of relatively nearby stars—have distorted into new configurations, with the exception of a few of its stars eventually exploding as [[supernova]]e, for example [[Betelgeuse]], which is predicted to explode sometime in the next million years.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wilkins|first=Alasdair|title=Earth may soon have a second sun|url=http://io9.com/5738542/earth-may-soon-have-a-second-sun|work=io9|date=20 January 2011 |publisher=Space Porn}}</ref>
{{clear}}

==See also==
<!-- Please keep entries in alphabetical order & add a short description [[WP:SEEALSO]] -->
{{div col|colwidth=20em|small=no}}
* [[EURion constellation]]
* ''[[Hubble 3D]]'' (2010), IMAX film with an elaborate CGI "fly-through" of the Orion Nebula
* [[Orion correlation theory]]
* [[Orion (mythology)]]
* [[Orion in Chinese astronomy |Orion (Chinese astronomy)]]
* [[Aurvandill]]
* [[Glooscap]]
* [[Heiheionakeiki]]
* [[Australian Aboriginal astronomy#Canoe in Orion|Julpan]]
* [[Nataraja]]
* [[Osiris]] 
* [[Papsukkal]]
* [[Urania]]
* [[Winter Hexagon]]
{{div col end}}
<!-- please keep entries in alphabetical order -->

==References==
=== Explanatory notes ===
{{Reflist|group="note"}}

=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

=== Bibliography ===
* {{cite book
  | first = David H.
  | last = Levy
  | title = Deep Sky Objects
  | date = 2005
  | publisher = Prometheus Books
  | isbn = 1-59102-361-0
  | url-access = registration
  | url = https://archive.org/details/deepskyobjects00davi
  }}
* Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion (2007). ''Stars and Planets Guide'', Collins, London, England. {{ISBN|978-0-00-725120-9}}. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey. {{ISBN|978-0-691-13556-4}}.
* {{citation
  | last = Staal
  | first = Julius D. W.
  | title = The New Patterns in the Sky
  | publisher = McDonald and Woodward Publishing Company
  | date = 1988
  | isbn = 0-939923-04-1
  }}.

==External links==
{{Commons|Orion}}
* [http://www.allthesky.com/constellations/orion/ The Deep Photographic Guide to the Constellations: Orion]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080730024847/http://museumvictoria.com.au/DiscoveryCentre/Infosheets/Planets/Sky-Tour-for-Binoculars---Orion/ Melbourne Planetarium: Orion Sky Tour]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130421003231/http://old.orionsarm.com/galactography/views_of_Orion.html Views of Orion from other places in our Galaxy]
* [http://astrojan.nhely.hu/orion.htm The clickable Orion]
* [http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/orion.html Ian Ridpath's Star Tales – Orion]
* [http://blog.deepskycolors.com/archive/2010/10/22/orion-from-Head-to-Toes.html Deep Widefield image of Orion]
* {{APOD |date=23 October 2010 |title=Orion: Head to Toe}}
* [http://www.universetoday.com/100383/beautiful-astrophoto-zoom-into-orion/ Beautiful Astrophoto: Zoom Into Orion]
* [https://iconographic.warburg.sas.ac.uk/category/vpc-taxonomy-017082 Warburg Institute Iconographic Database (medieval and early modern images of Orion)]

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[[Category:Equatorial constellations]]