NGC 7380: The Wizard Nebula

Explanation: What powers are being wielded in the Wizard Nebula? Gravitation strong enough to form stars, and stellar winds and radiations powerful enough to create and dissolve towers of gas . Located only 8,000 light years away, the Wizard nebula, featured here , surrounds developing open star cluster NGC 7380 . Visually, the interplay of stars, gas, and dust has created a shape that appears to some like a fictional medieval sorcerer . The active star forming region spans 100 about light years , making it appear larger than the angular extent of the Moon . The Wizard Nebula can be located with a small telescope toward the constellation of the King of Aethiopia ( Cepheus ). Although the nebula may last only a few million years, some of the stars being formed may outlive our Sun.