Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Cygnus (Cyg)  ·  Contains:  Cocoon Nebula  ·  IC 5146
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Cocoon Nebula (IC 5146), Liuyi Sun
Cocoon Nebula (IC 5146)
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Cocoon Nebula (IC 5146)

Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
Cocoon Nebula (IC 5146), Liuyi Sun
Cocoon Nebula (IC 5146)
Powered byPixInsight

Cocoon Nebula (IC 5146)

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Description

The Cocoon Nebula, also known as IC 5146, is a fascinating deep-sky object in the constellation Cygnus, located about 4,000 light-years from Earth. This complex nebula combines elements of an emission nebula, a reflection nebula, and a dark nebula, creating a striking interplay of light and shadow. At its heart is the young star BD+46°3474, which illuminates the surrounding gas, producing a glowing reddish hue typical of an emission nebula, while nearby dust reflects this light, forming a beautiful blue reflection nebula. The Cocoon Nebula is also a site of active star formation, making it a key area of interest for astronomers studying stellar evolution.

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Cocoon Nebula (IC 5146), Liuyi Sun