Question Mark in Cepheus

Nebulae NGC 7822, Cederblad 214 (Ced 214), and Sharpless 170 (Sh2-170) are part of a complex of dust, gas and hot young stars in a gigantic molecular cloud on the Cepheus - Cassiopeia border. The northern part of the complex is NGC 7822 at the top of the image. The central portion is Ced 214. The smaller round nebula at the bottom of the image is Sh2-170.

Cederblad 214, seen immediately above, is located about 3,000 light years away. This nebula glows from ionized hydrogen powered by the energetic young stars being born in the nebula. Dark nebulae, intricate clouds of dark obscuring gas and dust in space, are plentiful in this region.