Photograph
California Nebula
A wide-field view of the California Nebula, with luminous clouds of gas standing out against a dense field of stars.
Beyond the frame
The bright star Menkib, which illuminates this cloud, was not born inside the nebula. It is moving rapidly through space and happens to pass close enough to ionize the surrounding hydrogen. The California Nebula is therefore a chance encounter between a star and a cloud—a temporary trail of light created by their motion relative to one another.