Sharpless 2-106

Sharpless 2-106 is an emission nebula characterized by its distinct bipolar shape, making it look like an hourglass or a cosmic snow angel. It is classified as an H II region located in the northern constellation of Cygnus.

The nebula's dramatic shape is created by a massive, young stellar object designated as S106 IR. The central star's high-speed particles and radiation squeeze the surrounding gas into two opposing lobes of glowing plasma.

The Gemini North telescope, located atop Mauna Kea in Hawaii, captured incredibly detailed images of the nebula in 2010. These high-resolution images allowed astronomers to clearly see the complex gas and dust structures surrounding the central star.

The "Sharpless" catalog was compiled by the American astronomer Stewart Sharpless in the 1950s. He cataloged over 300 H II regions across the Milky Way galaxy, giving this object its official designation.