Cocoon Nebular

Object: ic5146
Object type: Nebula
Captured: 2026-02-02
Equipment: Celestron 11 Edge HD + Fast Star · Skywatcher EQ6-R-Pro · ZWO 1600MM · ZWO EFW · SHO
Telescope: Celestron 11 Edge HD + Fast Star
Mount: Skywatcher EQ6-R-Pro
Camera: ZWO 1600MM
Filter wheel: ZWO EFW
Filter set: SHO
Scope type: SCT
Exposure: lots
Processing: PixInsight

Image license: This gallery image is published under a Creative Commons license.

Wikipedia reference

IC 5146

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.

Distance: 2500±100 ly (780±30 pc)
Apparent magnitude (V): +7.2
Apparent dimensions (V): 12′
Constellation: Cygnus
Radius: 7.5 ly