Editing Alnitak (section)

==Observational history==
[[File:Ngc2024 2mass.jpg|thumb|left|Alnitak (lower right) and the Flame Nebula at [[infrared]] wavelengths]]
Alnitak has been known since antiquity and, as a component of [[#Orion's Belt|Orion's Belt]], has been of widespread cultural significance. It was reported to be a double star by amateur German astronomer [[George K. Kunowsky]] in 1819.<ref name=allen/> Much more recently, in 1998, the bright primary was found by a team from the [[Lowell Observatory]] to have a close companion; this had been suspected from observations made with the [[Narrabri Stellar Intensity Interferometer]] in the 1970s.<ref name="Hummel00"/>

The [[parallax|stellar parallax]] derived from observations by the ''[[Hipparcos]]'' satellite imply a distance around {{val|225|ul=parsecs}}, but this does not take into account distortions caused by the multiple nature of the system.  Larger distances, typically closer to {{val|400|u=pc}},  have been derived by many authors based on the orbit of the pair or the assumed properties of the components.  This distance is comparable to the [[Orion molecular  cloud complex]], including the nearby [[Flame Nebula|Flame]] and [[Horsehead Nebula]]e.<ref name=hummel/>