Rho Ophiuchus

Back by popular demand! Perhaps the most colorful region of the sky, this area around the giant star Antares was unavailable the past few years.

Blue nebulae are "reflection" nebulae, and are usually starlight scattered off thin dust clouds. The other colors are "emission" nebulae, which glow under their own light from starlight energies exciting various gas clouds, like a fluorescent light. Hang in any direction.

Photo from the UK Schmidt Southern Observatory by David Malin.