Telescope: Takahashi TOA-130 @ F7.68 (999mm) w/Field Flattener  | 
        Wikipedia Notes:   IC 5146, also  Caldwell 19, and the  Sh 2-125,  Cocoon Nebula, is a  reflection[1]/ emission[2] nebula and  Caldwell object in the constellation  Cygnus. IC 5146 is a star cluster and the nebula is Sh2-125.  [3] It shines at magnitude +10.0 [4]/+9.3 [2]/+7.2. [5] Its celestial coordinates are RA 21h 53.5m, dec+47° 16′. It is located near the naked-eye star  Pi Cygni, the open cluster  NGC 7209 in  Lacerta, and the bright open cluster  M39. [4][1] The cluster is about 4,000 ly away, and the central star that lights it formed about 100,000 years ago [6]; the nebula is about 12 arcmins across, which is equivalent to a span of 15 light years. [5]When viewing IC 5146,  dark nebula Barnard 168 (B168) is an inseparable part of the experience, forming a dark lane that surrounds the cluster and projects westward forming the appearance of a trail behind the Cocoon.   |