Description:
In the constellation Cepheus, a striking trio paints a layered cosmic scene: the Fireworks Galaxy (NGC 6946), the open star cluster NGC 6939, and wisps of Integrated Flux Nebula (IFN).
Though they appear close in the sky, they lie at vastly different distances:
NGC 6946 is a starburst galaxy 22 million light-years away, famous for its frequent supernovae.
In contrast, NGC 6939 is a much nearer Milky Way cluster, around 4,000 light-years from Earth.
Draped over both is the faint glow of IFN, nearby interstellar dust lit by the combined light of our galaxy.
Together, they create a rich, layered portrait of the universe: foreground dust, nearby stars, and a distant galaxy all in one frame.