The Orion Molecular Cloud 2/3 and NGC 1977 Regions

The Orion Molecular Cloud 2/3 region (hereafter, OMC-2/3) and the reflection nebula NGC 1977 encompass a section of the Orion A molecular cloud undergoing vigorous star forming activity. One of the richest assemblages of protostars in the nearest 500 pc is seen in OMC-2/3, while NGC 1977 contains a cluster of over 100 young stars. In this review, we present a census of the protostars, pre-main sequence stars, and young brown dwarfs in these regions. These are identified through sub-millimeter surveys, far-red to near-infrared imaging and spectroscopy with ground-based telescopes, mid-infrared photometry from the Spitzer Space Telescope, and X-ray observations made with the Chandra X-ray Observatory. We present an overview of the distribution of molecular gas associated with these regions and the rich complex of shock heated nebulae created by the young stars interacting with the molecular gas. Finally, we discuss the relationship of OMC-2/3 and NGC 1977 to the neighboring Orion Nebula Cluster and the Orion OB1 association.