Like the Horsehead, the Flame, and the Orion Nebula itself, M78 is a readily visible part of the large Orion Molecular Cloud complex some 1,500 light-years distant.

• 像马头星云、火焰星云和猎户座星云本身一样，M78是猎户座分子云复合体中比较容易观测到的一部分，距离我们大约1,500光年。