Photo Agency - Astronomy - Space - Nature

> Dark nebula B175 and reflection nebula VDB 152

Dark nebula B175 and reflection nebula VDB 152

author: Tom Davis/Novapix

reference: a-neb90-17504

Image Size 300 DPI: 33 * 21 cm

The reflection nebula vdB 152 is really very faint. It lies about 1400 light-years away, along the northern Milky Way in the constellation Cepheus. Near the edge of a large molecular cloud, pockets of cosmic dust in the region block light from background stars or scatter light from the embedded bright star (top) giving parts of the nebula a characteristic blue color. Ultraviolet light from the star is also thought to cause a dim reddish luminescence in the nebular dust. Though stars do form in molecular clouds, this star seems to have only accidentally wandered into the area, as its measured velocity through interstellar space is very different from the cloud's velocity.

Keywords for this photo:

2007 - ASTRONOMY - B175 - BARNARD 175 - CED 201 - CEPHEUS - DARK NEBULA - NEBULA - REFLECTION NEBULA - STAR - VDB 152 -