NGC 1491
| Emission nebula | |
|---|---|
The nebula NGC 1491 | |
| Observation data: J2000 epoch | |
| Subtype | H II region |
| Right ascension | 04h 03m 15.9s |
| Declination | +51° 18′ 54″ |
| Distance | 3.02 ± 0.6 kpc (9,800 ± 2,000 ly) ly |
| Constellation | Perseus |
| Designations | Ced 25, LBN 704, LBN 706, Sharpless 2-206 |
NGC 1491, also known as LBN 704, SH2-206 or the Fossil Footprint Nebula, is an emission type bright nebula located about 9,800 light years away from Earth in the constellation of Perseus. The nebula gets its deep red coloration due to many massive stars (such as BD+50 866) embedded within NGC 1491 producing large amounts of ultraviolet radiation and ionizing the hydrogen gas that makes up the nebula.