IC 5146
Exposure: L = 24 x 5 min. (1x1); RGB = 15 x 5 min (2x2).
Date: 8/20-22/2007
Notice that the central part of the nebula is surrounded by a dark outer cloud of matter (known as Lynd's Dark Nebula 1055). This cloud subtley dims or obscures background stars all the way out to the upper right hand corner of the image. Notice a white star a couple of inches away and slightly lower than straight out to the right of the Cocoon (It has two tiny closely spaced companions, one orange and one blue). This star is illuminating the dark nebula behind it. This effect is called a 'reflection nebula'. It is included in the van den Bergh catalog of such objects as vdB 147.
© Don Scott
The Holin A. Grotch Observatory