Deep space
Cocoon Nebula
Open cluster and nebula · C19 · IC 5146
Open cluster and nebula in Cygnus
Photo: Chuck Ayoub · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
IC 5146 is a reflection/emission nebula and Caldwell object in the constellation Cygnus. The NGC description refers to IC 5146 as a cluster of 9.5 mag stars involved in a bright and dark nebula. The cluster is also known as Collinder 470. It shines at magnitude +10.0/+9.3/+7.2. Its celestial coordinates are RA 21h 53.5m , dec +47° 16′. It is located near the naked-eye star Pi Cygni, the open cluster NGC 7209 in Lacerta, and the bright open cluster M39. The cluster is about 4,000 ly away, and the central star that lights it formed about 100,000 years ago; the nebula is about 12 arcmins across, which is equivalent to a span of 15 light years.
Description from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
In your sky
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Key facts
Distance
~3,300 light-years
Apparent mag.
+7.2
Apparent size
10.0′ × 10.0′
Best seen with
Binoculars
Catalogue
C19 · IC 5146
Did you know
- Listed as Caldwell 19 in the Caldwell catalogue, also known as IC 5146.
- Found in the constellation Cygnus.
- Within reach of ordinary binoculars under dark skies.
