The Iris blooms


A bright, blue-purple nebula sits near the center of the frame, shaped like a soft, irregular oval with wispy outer layers folded in on themselves like petals of a flower. Dark, smoky dust lanes and brownish clouds stretch across the image's outer frame, blocking parts of the starfield and giving the background a mottled look. Stars are scattered throughout, with the brightest concentrated near the center of the nebula.

Rodney Pommier from Portland, Oregon

The Iris Nebula (NGC 7023), also known as LBN 487, lies some 1,400 light-years away in Cepheus, reflecting the blue light of its central star. This young star is emerging from its cocoon, sweeping out a cavity within the larger surrounding dark cloud LDN 1174. The imager collected 10 hours 35 minutes of LRGB data with a 17-inch scope.