NGC 7023

NGC 7023, commonly known as the Iris Nebula, is a bright reflection nebula located in the constellation Cepheus. Unlike emission nebulae, its light is not emitted by the gas itself. Instead, the surrounding dust clouds reflect the light of a nearby central star.

It is named the Iris Nebula because the surrounding dust clouds reflect the blue light of the central star, HD 200775. This creates a distinct, flower-like appearance that resembles the petals of an iris flower. The deep blue color is a direct result of the star's light scattering off the fine cosmic dust.

The Iris Nebula is located in the northern constellation of Cepheus. It is a very popular target for amateur astrophotographers due to its striking blue color and surrounding dark dust lanes. Observers typically use moderate to large telescopes to spot its faint glow.

The central star responsible for illuminating the Iris Nebula is a massive, variable star named HD 200775. This young stellar object is part of a star-forming region. Its intense radiation actively sculpts and lights up the surrounding interstellar dust.