Cepheus is a rich region of the Milky Way with many emission nebulae. One of the largest, IC 1396, could be called the Northern Rosette because it resembles the more famous nebula in Monoceros. IC 1396 is about 3° wide, with a hollow interior showing minimal nebulosity. This fascinating object sits some 2,400 to 3,000 light-years away.
The nebula is illuminated by hot stars in its gas-poor interior, where the radiation has physically pushed the gas away. This star cluster is less conspicuo