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Cave Nebula(Sh2-155)

The Cave Nebula (Sh2-155) is a diffuse nebula in the constellation Cepheus, within a larger nebula complex containing emission, reflection, and dark nebulosity. It is an ionized H II region with ongoing star formation activity, at an estimated distance of 2400 light-years.

 

It has been suggested that radiation from the hot O-type star HD 217086 (second from top, middle) is compressing the region, triggering the formation of a new generation of stars.

 

The bright red part of the Cave is light emission from excited Hydrogen gas, with some reflection of starlight also present. The region is partly obscured by dark foreground clouds of dust and gas.

 

The name "Cave Nebula" was coined for this object by Patrick Moore, presumably derived from photographic images showing a curved arc of emission nebulosity corresponding to a cave mouth.

 

Shot in HaLRGB

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Uploaded on October 11, 2017