The Merope Nebula, image © Russell Croman

This is another beautiful image by Russell Croman. Merope is a star in the Pleiades cluster. A large (desktop-sized) version can be downloaded at the link above.

The brilliant star Merope is one of the members of the Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters, a cluster of young, hot stars about 400 light years from earth. Intense bluish light from Merope illuminates wisps of cosmic dust which appear to swaddle the young stars in blankets of nebulosity.