  We present Sloan Digital Sky Survey and United States Naval Observatory
observations of the V1647 Ori protostar and surrounding field near NGC 2068.
V1647 Ori, the likely driving source for HH 23, brightened significantly in
November 2003. Analysis of SDSS imaging acquired in November 1998 and February
2002 during the quiescent state, recent USNO photometry, and published 2MASS
and Gemini data shows that the color changes associated with brightening
suggest an EXor outburst rather than a simple dust clearing event.
