Explanation:
Inside the Cocoon Nebula is a newly developing cluster of stars.
Cataloged as
IC 5146, the beautiful nebula is nearly 15
light-years wide, located
some 4,000 light years away toward the northern constellation
Cygnus.
Like other star forming regions, it stands out
in red, glowing, hydrogen gas
excited by young, hot stars
and blue, dust-reflected starlight
at the edge of an otherwise invisible
molecular cloud.
In fact, the bright star near the center of this nebula is likely
only a few hundred thousand years old, powering the nebular glow as it
clears out
a cavity in the molecular
cloud's star forming dust and gas.
This color view
of the Cocoon Nebula traces remarkably
subtle features within and surrounding the dusty
stellar
nursery.
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Announcement:
APOD Editor RJN to open Final Frontier art exhibit in Ireland on August 28
