Iris nebula in true color

This is the core of the Iris nebula in true color as captured with my largest telescope at high magnification. 1,300 lightyears from Earth, the bright light of a hot young star is reflecting off the surrounding interstellar clouds from which it formed. The refraction and scattering of the short wavelengths of blue light create the gorgeous color, just as they do in our very own daytime skies here on Earth.

Wow!