Saturday, Sep 6, 2025

The Clampshell Nebula (Sh2-119) is a large emission nebula located about 2,200 light-years from Earth, in the constellation Cygnus. It lies just 3° east of the famous North America–Pelican complex and, perhaps because of this proximity to such a well-known object, it is not among the most frequently photographed regions of the sky. In reality, it is a highly fascinating area, made particularly striking by the contrast created by a dense network of dark dust in its southern portion. Near the center of the field shines, like a pearl, the star 68 Cygni: its closeness is only apparent, as it is actually more than twice as far away as the nebula.