IC 349 is Barnard's Merope Nebula. It is an unusually bright, chevron-shaped, small reflection nebula located just 36 arcseconds southeast of the bright star Merope in M45, the Pleiades.

The bright halo, flare and radial streaks off the star are diffraction and reflection effects in the optical system. The faint diagonal streaks of nebulosity in the field are real nebulosity, part of the larger complex of blue reflection nebulosity in the area.

IC 349 was discovered in 1890 by E.E. Barnard with the 36-inch Lick Observatory refractor.

In space, the nebula lies only 3,500 astronomical units (0.06 light-years) away from Merope. It shines by the starlight from Merope being reflected off dust and gas in the large molecular cloud that the Pleiades just happens to be passing through in space.

North is up in this image.

IC 349 Catalogs: IC 349, Ced 19i Common Name: Bernard's Merope Nebula Object Type: Reflection Nebula Magnitude: 13 Size: 30" x 30" Constellation: Taurus Image Field Centered At: RA: 03h 47m 07s Dec: +23° 59' 13"