This image consists of two small reflection nebulae and a star cluster, all located in the constellation of Vulpecula at a declination of +30 degrees. The reflection nebulae are small - each nebula is only about 2 minutes long - and the star cluster is difficult to identify from the background stars.

The two reflection nebulae are IC 4954 (lower left) and IC 4955 (upper right), located 6000 light years away. Both nebulae are primarily white in color, although both have faint reddish regions in their outer areas. I like the sharp arcing boundary in IC 4955 between the reflection nebula and the small grouping of stars.

The star cluster throughout most of the central region of this image is Roslund 4, consisting of about 30 stars. The cluster appears to be arranged in two main groups, corresponding to the locations of the two reflection nebulae, but Roslund was not sure whether the cluster is associated with the nebulae. Just slight above and to the left of the cluster is an interesting propeller-shaped asterism, with three evenly spaced 11th magnitude stars surrounding a central 12th magnitude star. Astronomers believe that star formation is occurring in this region, although not on a massive scale. Perhaps the reddish tint of the nebulae are due to this star formation activity.

Roslund 4 is one of the seven Roslund open clusters. Curt Roslund was a Swedish astronomer who discovered these clusters spectroscopically during a study of high luminosity stars early in his career. The Roslund clusters are not obvious objects and are not listed in any other prior catalog. Although most of us only know his name through these obscure clusters, it seems like the majority of his work focus was on the history of astronomy in and near his homeland. Most of his publication credits were contributions by him to articles on popular science subjects such as Viking navigation, ancient rock carvings of the sky, discovered metal objects related to astronomy, and ancient stone arrangements.