Chandra Release - February 12, 2026

Visual Description: The Cocoon Nebula, also known as IC 5146


This image shows the Cocoon Nebula (IC 5146) as a glowing, heart-shaped cloud set against a dense backdrop of countless stars scattered across the Milky Way. The nebula's center is filled with warm reds, oranges, and golds, forming a luminous cocoon of gas and dust with soft, uneven edges that fade into the surrounding darkness.

Embedded within this glowing cloud are many young stars, some appearing as bright white or bluish points, while others are hidden and revealed only through X-ray light detected by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. These X-rays trace a cluster of newly formed, highly active stars concentrated near the nebula's core.

The heart-shaped nebula itself shines through a mix of light emitted by these young stars and starlight reflected off surrounding dust. Optical data from two astrophotographers and infrared observations from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer provide depth and texture, revealing a sparkling star field and the thick, dusty structures where new stars continue to form.