APOD #3

Interstellar dust collects around the Cone Nebula, creating several interesting shapes. Pictured, the brightest star is called S Mon, and beneath is an area nicknamed the Fur Fox Nebula. The bluish color surrounding S Mon is a color reflected by the surroundig dust. The red color is also created by reflection, but also because of the emission from hydrogen gas that was ionized by starlight. S Mon is part of a star cluster, NGC 2264, which is about 2500 lightyears away located closes to the constellation Monoceros (the Unicorn). The origin of the Cone Nebula has still to be discovered.