Wizard Nebula (NGC 7380)

The Wizard Nebula (NGC 7380) is an open star cluster embedded within a cloud of interstellar gas and dust from which it formed. The object is located at a distance of about 8 thousand light-years in the constellation Cepheus. The approximate age of the nebula is about 4 million years. The Wizard Nebula is one of the brightest and most beautiful deep-sky objects. It has a characteristic shape resembling a wizard with a hood, which gave it its name; it is sometimes called the "Harry Potter Nebula".