In the past I wrote about Dark Nebulae that absorb light almost completely. This time I also talk about nebulae that do not create their own light but are different from Dark Nebulae. While the Dark Nebulae in the sky are seen as dark spots, reflective nebulae glow reflecting the light of the surrounding stars. Made up of clouds of gas and dust, they are visible but - they do not emit their own visible light. They only light indirectly because light from a star source illuminates its dust and gas. Something similar happens often around us. When a cloud of smoke or fog approaches the street lighting - an interesting scene is created. So beautiful are these mists. The brightest reflective nebulae are illuminated by glittering B-type stars, and then give a beautiful space for observation. You can see in the picture a beautiful reflective nebula called Iris Nebula - NGC 7023. It is located about 1300 light years from the solar system, and with a dimension of about 6 light years - you can find it in the constellation Cepheus. Interstellar dust and gas in the center of the Iris Nebula surrounds a huge, hot and extremely young star called the V380 Cep. The age of this young star is estimated to be only 5500 years, and (since it is very young) there is plenty of gas and dust around. When light V380 Cep. stars hit by dust or gas around, a magnificently beautiful sight. How is it seen in the sky? Due to +6.8 apparent magnitude, many people think that the Iris Nebula can easily be seen even with a smaller telescope. But that is not so. Due to the diffuse nature of this object, but also because of its large apparent size in the sky (18 arc minutes) - Iris Maglic is not easy to see. As a weak and foggy light source, it can be imaged with a 4 inch telescope. However, with a 10-inch telescope, you can easily find and enjoy the details of this beautiful space object with the Iris Nebula. Learn Astronomy and Astrophotography. Join our astro group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/311743376443671/
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