The Running Man Nebula (NGC 1973, 1975, 1977) is mainly an area
of starlight reflecting off clouds of hydrogen (which gives the
blue color), though you can also see some areas where the hydrogen
is glowing red under the stars' radiation, and darker brown
interstellar dust. This area is located just north of the Great
Orion Nebula (M 42 / 43), the edge of which is visible at the top of
this image. This nebula is 1460 light years from earth.

Image data:
Camera: Canon 350XT, ISO 800
Telescope: 10" Schmidt-Newtonian
Exposure: 120 minutes total (24 x 5 minutes)