Explanation: To the eye,
this cosmic composition nicely balances the Bubble Nebula at the lower right with open star cluster M52. The pair would be lopsided on other scales, though. Embedded in a complex of
interstellar dust and gas and blown by the winds from a single, massive
O-type star, the
Bubble Nebula, also known as NGC 7635, is a mere 10 light-years wide. On the other hand,
M52 is a rich open cluster of around a thousand stars. The cluster is about 25 light-years across. Seen toward the northern boundary
of Cassiopeia, distance estimates for the Bubble Nebula and associated cloud complex are around 11,000 light-years, while
star cluster M52 lies nearly 5,000 light-years away. The wide telescopic field of view spans about 1.5 degrees on the sky or three times the apparent size of the Full Moon.
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