As shown on the Astrobin mouseover, this image captures 3 Lynds Bright Nebulae (LBN) objects located in the constellation of Cepheus at a declination of +79 degrees.
The Lynds Bright Nebulae Catalog was published by US astronomer Beverly Turner Lynds in 1965. The survey used the 48 inch Palomar telescope and includes all significant bright nebulosity (excluding PN) down to the -33 degree declination limit of the telescope, which amounts to 1025 objects. The LBN catalogue includes many objects from more popular catalogues such as Sh-2.
Distance information for nebulae such as these are only approximate. Some sources say that these 3 are about 600 light years away, which would mean that they are about 10 light years across.
All 3 of these objects are very dim, some of the dimmest in the LBN catalog. The catalog rates the brightness of each nebula on a scale from 1 to 6, 6 being the dimmest. Here, LBN 550 and LBN 552 are rated a 5 and LBN 555 is rated a 6. I like that the nebula are not simply white but have subtly changing, slightly different light shades of brown.
The tiny bright orange object at image center is the reflection nebula GN 21.00.4. It is best seen in the full resolution view. I could not find any information on this object.
For some reason now, whenever I see this image I see an old man with a hat, beard and cowboy boots, dancing a jig around a campfire with his elbows out. I really want to unsee that resemblance, but I am not sure how to do that. If anyone has any ideas on how to unsee it, please let me know.
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NOTE - @Graham Roberts suggested changing the image orientation, which I have done now. Thank you Graham!
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