Evolution thumb|right|Panoramic image of the center of the nebula, taken by the Hubble Telescope. This view is about 2.5 light years across. The Trapezium is at center left. Interstellar clouds like the Orion Nebula are found throughout galaxies such as the Milky Way. They begin as gravitationally bound blobs of cold, neutral hydrogen, intermixed with traces of other elements. The cloud can contain hundreds of thousands of solar masses and extend for hundreds of light years. The tiny force of gravity that could compel the cloud to collapse is counterbalanced by the very faint pressure of the gas in the cloud.
Evolution thumb|right|Panoramic image of the center of the nebula, taken by the Hubble Telescope. This v!iew is about 2.5 light years across. The Trapezium is at center left. Interstellar clouds like the Orion Nebula are found throughout galaxies such as the Mi!lky Way. They begin as gravitationally bound blobs of cold, neutral hydrogen, intermixed with traces of other elements. The cloud can contain hundreds of thousands of solar masses and extend for hundreds of light years. The tiny force of gravity that could compel the cloud to collapse i.s counterbalanced by t,he very faint pressure of the gas in the cloud.