Credit: Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope/Coelum

This vibrant image depicts a turbulent area of outer space which, to some, evokes a fox, hence the name Fox Fur Nebula. It lies in the constellation Monoceros, the Unicorn, near the left arm of Orion, just below the large, bright star S Mon (not visible in this image).

The enigmatically textured shapes comprise dust and gas, whipped into peculiar shapes by powerful stellar winds. Blue-colored areas are formed of dust reflecting starlight. Red areas are glowing from emission caused by the ionization of hydrogen gas by starlight.

The Fox Fur Nebula is part of a much larger complex known as The Christmas Tree Cluster.

space.com - IoD