Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Serpens (Ser)  ·  Contains:  VdB123
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vdB 123 - 2018, Gary Imm
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vdB 123 - 2018

Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
vdB 123 - 2018, Gary Imm
Powered byPixInsight

vdB 123 - 2018

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Description

This object is a reflection nebula located about 1000 light years away in the constellation of Serpens. The main feature in this image is the Serpens Cloud, a beautiful dark dust cloud sprinkled with blue reflection nebulae.

The orange nebula in the center is the Serpens Reflection Nebula. I have never seen an orange reflection nebula before, so this object puzzles me. I assume it is orange because of a concentration of heavy dust in this area. Above this object is the brightest nebula in the image, the namesake VdB 123 blue reflection nebula. The smaller orange object to the left is the Serpens G3-G6 Star Cluster.

Many other reflection and dark nebula are seen throughout the image. This area contains many Herbig Haro objects but they are hard to see through the dust and are only readily visible in an infrared image.

I like the delicate interplay in this image between the blue reflection nebulae, the orange reflection nebula, the dark nebulae regions, and the dusty orange star-filled background.

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vdB 123 - 2018, Gary Imm