Cocoon Nebula
Star cluster in Cygnus · 3,300 light-years
🔭 Explore Cocoon Nebula in the 3D map →View Cocoon Nebula images →| Type | Star cluster |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Cygnus |
| Right ascension | 21h 53m 29s |
| Declination | +47° 16′ |
| Object distance | 3,300 light-years |
| Apparent magnitude | 7.2 |
| Apparent size | 10′ (arc-minutes) |
| Approx. true diameter | 9.6 light-years across |
| Also known as | C19 · IC 5146 |
Caldwell 19, popularly known as the Cocoon Nebula, is a star cluster (IC 5146) in Cygnus — a family of stars bound by gravity. It appears as number 19 in the Caldwell catalogue, Sir Patrick Moore's 1995 list of 109 bright deep-sky objects for amateur astronomers. It spans roughly 10 arc-minutes on the sky. At about magnitude 7.2, it is a rewarding binocular and small-telescope target.
Although it appears about 10′ wide on the sky, its real span is roughly 9.6 light-years — the difference is a measure of how far away it lies.
Observing Cocoon Nebula
Cocoon Nebula lies in the constellation Cygnus and is best placed in the evening sky around August. Its maximum altitude above the horizon depends on your latitude. It is best placed for observers in the northern hemisphere, and sits low for those far south. It is a comfortable target for binoculars and small telescopes.
See Cocoon Nebula in Universe Finder
Open the interactive 3D map to fly to Cocoon Nebula and see it in context among the real stars around it. Launch the 3D view →
Sources
- Position, magnitude and angular size from the OpenNGC catalogue (Mattia Verga).
- Object identity cross-referenced with SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg).
- Image credits and the original observation source are linked with each photograph.
Related objects
- Pleiades — star cluster
- Hercules Cluster — star cluster
- Small Sgr Star Cloud — star cluster
- Messier 25 — star cluster
- Messier 103 — star cluster