Cocoon Nebula
Also known as IC 5146
Cocoon Nebula is a star cluster with nebula in the constellation Cygnus, about 2,550 light-years from Earth.
Nebula and cluster in Cygnus
Facts
| Type | Star cluster with nebula |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Cygnus |
| Position (J2000) | 21h 53m 28s, +47° 16′ |
| Distance | 2,550 light-years (its light set off about 2,550 years ago) |
| Brightness | magnitude 7.2 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Size on the sky | 8.2′ × 8.2′ (the full Moon is about 31′) |
| Filter | H-beta filter (One of the few nebulae that show best through an H-beta filter, which passes only the blue-green light of hydrogen.) |
| Studied in | 518 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
Cocoon Nebula is highest in the sky at midnight in August. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 63° above the horizon; from 50° N, to about 87°. To see it you need binoculars.
Heights are worked out for India and for 50° N. Set your location in Settings to see them for where you are.
For tonight's best time from your own town, the darkness and the Moon, open it on the map and see its "Tonight from your location" card.
More in Cygnus
- Cooling Tower Cluster (M29)
- Cygnus A
- Cygnus X-1
- Fireworks Galaxy
- M39 (NGC 7092)
- North America Nebula
- Pelican Nebula
- Veil Nebula
Everything in Cygnus · All 88 constellations · All sky objects
Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · OpenNGC · Data sources & credits