vdb123

Vdb123 is a reflection nebula about 800 light years distant in the constellation Serpens. It‘s embedded in a large molecular cloud know as the Serpens Cloud.

At the centre of the image, the bright blue star HD 170634 illuminates the surrounding dust which scatters the shorter wavelengths more than the longer wavelengths, creating the blue glow of vdb123.

To the left of the blue nebula, a orange/red cloud known as the bi-polar Serpens reflection nebula can also be seen. Its shape is thought to be determined by the magnetic fields of the central star Serpens SVS 2 which create gas flows moving in opposite directions.

The more distant background stars are reddened due to intervening dust of the molecular cloud between the Earth and the stars.

This LRGB image represents 12.5 hours integration time and was taken with my Esprit 150.

Alan