NGC2264, also known as the Christmas Tree Cluster, is a star-forming region located in the constellation Monoceros. Located at a distance of around 2,600 light-years from Earth, it is a fascinating and visually striking celestial object that contains a combination of emission and reflection nebulae, along with a young open star cluster.

At the heart of NGC2264 is the Cone Nebula, which is an emission nebula that glows due to ionised gas. It has a distinctive shape resembling a cone, hence the name. Nearby, there's the Christmas Tree Cluster, which is an open star cluster. The cluster's stars form the triangular shape, resembling a Christmas tree, with the Cone Nebula acting as the 'tree trunk'.

In addition to the Cone Nebula and the Christmas Tree Cluster, NGC2264 also includes the Fox Fur Nebula, which is a reflection nebula. Refection nebulae do not emit light on their own but instead reflect the light of nearby stars, giving them their characteristic bluish appearance.

This image, any many more, will be on display and available for purchase at my market stall at the Twilight Christmas Markets, Goldfields Arts Centre, Kalgoorlie on Saturday 02 December 2022.

For more information on this image, and many more, please visit the ‘galaxies’, ‘nebulae’ and ‘nightscapes’ galleries via the navigation panel at the top of this page.

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