Feb 3, 2016
NGC 1435
NGC 1435 is a reflection nebula located about 400 light years away in the Pleiades. It surrounds one of the brightest stars in the open cluster, Merope, also called 23 Tau (by the Flamsteed designation system, ordering stars in a constellation by increasing right ascension).
Reflection nebulae are created by starlight reflecting off dust grains surrounding bright stars. Carbon, the most common element in these clouds, reflect blue more efficiently than red, giving reflection nebula their blue color. The color and brightness of the star, along with the size and shape of the dust grains, determine the brightness of the nebula.
Image and information from NASA.
