Astr111 Photography Projects, Fall 2005

Cocoon Nebula, Mark Brown

This is called the Cocoon Nebula. Its magnitude is about 7.2, its distance is about 4,000 light years away and it is about 10,000 years old. Its nebula is like a cloud surrounding a star. The cloud is composed of billowing clouds of gas and dust. The large central star has blown a hole in the nebula and is probably responsible for the emission. It is an emission nebula, a reflection nebula and an absorption nebula all at the same time.

The Cocoon Nebula is a very beautiful cloud-like shape that has formed the stars in its area. Its cloud emits red blue and black colors making it spectacular to look at. The black is the space where there is so much dust that it blocks out the color. The red is hydrogen that appears red because it is heated and the blue is the reflection of the light of the stars on the dust and gases. The linear size of the cocoon nebula is 13.96 light years. Its angular size is 720 arc seconds. You can see the star very clearly in the center as it is viewed through the area it blew out of the nebula. This nebula is quite amazing with a brilliant glow.

References:
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap021014.html

http://www.space.com/imageoftheday/image_of_day_040615.html