M78 is located 2 degrees north and 1.4 degrees east of 1.7 magnitude Alnitak. Alnitak, Zeta Orionis, is the easternmost star in Orion's belt. The nebula appears fan-shaped, 7'x6', at 129X in the 10-inch Starfinder equatorial. M78 features a pair of 10th magnitude stars in the northwest corner. An 8th magnitude GSC star lies immediately to the north. When conditions allow, nebulosity is visible around these neighboring stars.