Sh 2-264

The nebula is named after its main star, λ Orionis, a blue giant responsible for the ionization of the surrounding material.

The broad nebula shown is not visible unaided, with binoculars or small amateur telescopes.

Orange giant φ2 Orionis, while appearing to be surrounded by the Ring, is merely a foreground object at only about 116 light years from Earth.

HD 34989 is a blue-white main sequence star, visible magnified only, just outside the Ring.

It has a small nebulous cloud more geared towards the near-infrared than other parts of the neighbouring ionized regions across the Ring.

Lambda Ori Ring's molecular cloud , a type of star-forming zone in a nebula , is the main feature, made out at long exposure of usually over one minute, only, in visible light, in clear dry skies. Betelgeuse and Bellatrix are south-east and south-west of the formation, forever cast as Alpha and Gamma by Bayer , they are near the top of Orion and in myth represent the hunter's shoulders.