The Cocoon Nebula
The Cocoon Nebula in Cygnus is a compact cloud of Hydrogen, lit up by the bright star in its center. Dust lanes can also be seen across it, obscuring the ionized Hydrogen gas behind them.
This object is best imaged during the heart of Summer, which means really challenging conditions here in Florida. High humidity, haze, and even thick clouds of dust blown in from the Saharan Desert conspired against a good capture. But with a couple nights’ worth of data and some processing tricks, it was salvagable!
