Explanation: How did this nebula get created? The Cocoon Nebula, cataloged as IC 5146, is a strikingly beautiful nebula located about 4,000 light yearsaway toward the constellation of Cygnus. Inside the Cocoon is a newly developing open cluster of stars. Like other stellar nurseries, the Cocoon Nebula is, at the same time, an emission nebula, a reflection nebula, and an absorption nebula. Speculation based on recent measurements holds that the massive star in the center of the above image opened a hole in an existing molecular cloud through which much of the glowing material flows. The same star, which formed about 100,000 years ago, now provides the energy source for much of the emitted and reflected light from this nebula.

Nemiroff, Robert, and Jerry Bonnell. "Astronomy Picture of the Day." Nasa.gov. 14 Oct. 2002. 19 Feb. 2009 .

I chose this picture because it looked really cool and it has pretty colors. It's called the Cocoon Nebula. It's really far away from us thuoght. It's 4,000 light years away. A  light year is the distance light can travel in a year. So we could never see it without a telescope. It is by the constellation Cygnus. If you look inside the Cocoon there are new stars in there. They think that the big star in the center opened a hole in the exsisting molecular cloud and that is why you can see all those colors in the Coccon. I think it is a very pretty picture.