Fossil's Footprint Nebula

A compact emission nebula in Perseus, about 10,700 light-years distant. Also catalogued as Sh2-206, it’s illuminated by a single hot O-type star that carves out a cavity in the surrounding molecular cloud. It’s a less frequently imaged target — not as large or well-known as the showpiece nebulae — which makes it a satisfying capture. The bright central region transitions into faint tendrils of gas at the edges where the stellar wind meets denser material.