This image shows the vast hydrogen alpha clouds surrounding Sadr, the bright central star of the constellation Cygnus. One of the richest regions of emission nebulae in the Milky Way, the area glows red as hydrogen gas is energized by nearby stars, revealing an intricate network of filaments, clouds, and dark dust lanes.
Although the image appears highly magnified, the reality is quite the opposite. These structures are so huge that approximately 125 full Moons could fit within the frame. In the upper right corner lies the Crescent Nebula, a bubble of gas created by a massive star as it sheds material into space.
This photograph is the result of 72 individual exposures, each lasting 3 minutes 20 seconds, combined to create a total integration time of 4 hours. By collecting light over such a long period, the combined data is able to reveal colours and structures far too faint for the human eye to perceive.
