Rosebud Nebula - NGC 7129

The young open star cluster NGC 7129 is embedded in the bluish reflection nebula vdB 146. Due to it's shape the reflection nebula is called "Rosebud Nebula" and is located in the constellation Cepheus. The young stars have blown a large, oddly shaped bubble in the molecular cloud that once surrounded them at their birth. The rosy pink color comes from glowing dust grains on the surface of the bubble being heated by the intense light from the young stars within. Also some Herbig-Haro objects can be identified in the reflection nebula. Their shape and pinkish red color is characteristic of glowing hydrogen gas shocked by jets streaming away from newborn stars.


NGC 7142 is an open cluster about 6,200 light-years away. With an estimated age of 4.5 billion years, he is one of the oldest known open clusters.

The fine Halpha filaments on the left side of the image are part of the supernova remnant SNR 110.3 + 11.3.

Scope: ASA 10" Astrograph
Mount: ASA DDM60
Camera: Moravian G3-16200 with Astrodon LRGB and Halpha filters

Total exposure time: ~81h

Copyright: Thomas Henne