Explanation:
Dusty emission nebula
IC 410 lies about 12,000 light-years away in the northern constellation
Auriga.
The cloud of glowing gas is over 100 light-years across,
sculpted by
stellar
winds and radiation from embedded open star cluster NGC 1893.
Formed
in the interstellar cloud
a mere
4 million years ago, bright cluster stars are seen just below the
prominent dark dust
cloud near picture center.
Notable near the 7 o'clock position
are two relatively dense streamers of material trailing
away from the nebula's central regions.
Potentially sites of ongoing star formation, these
cosmic tadpole
shapes are about 10 light-years long.
Emission from sulfur atoms is shown in red, hydrogen atoms in green,
and oxygen in blue hues in this
false-color, narrow band
composite image.
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