During the winter months, the constellation of Orion hangs high in the southern sky and is visible from even within most cities. Orion is rich with nebulae an they are big.  One of the most famous is the Horsehead Nebula. It lies 1500 light years away and as such is relatively close to us in astronomical terms

I took this photograph several years ago with a C14 and an SBIG 7 camera.

The Horse is a dark nebula.  There is no starlight to make it visible. Nor does it emit light.  If it were not for the massive ionized hydrogen cloud behind it which does emit light in the red spectrum, we would not see this object.  The hydrogen is ionized by the nearby bright star Sigma Orionus. The shape of the Horsehead was first recognized on photographic plates at the Harvard College Observatory by Williamina Fleming in 1888.  Williamina's accomplishments and work were not recognize in her day.  Astronomy was only for men. Women were hired to do all the grunt work.

I believe that the Horsehead looks more like a complete horse.  Can't you see the horse's tail?