The Iris Nebula, in the constellation of Cepheus, is a reflection nebula that surrounds open cluster NGC 7023.

The nebula is a complex mixture of reflection, emission and dark nebulosity surrounding a 7.4 magnitude star that illuminates the reflection nebula. The star, HD 200775, is a Herbig Be star that is a pre-main sequence star with a mass between 3 and 15 solar masses. The star is only 5,000 years old.

The Iris Nebula is located 1,300 light-years away, and subtends an apparent angle of 15 x 12 arcminutes. At that distance, this would correspond to a true size of 5.6 light-years in diameter.

The star cluster NGC 7023 shines at magnitude 7.1 and has a diameter of 5 arcminutes.

NGC 7023 was discovered by William Herschel in 1794.

North is to the right in the above image.

NGC 7023 Catalogs: NGC 7023, VdB 139, LBN 487 Common Name: Iris Nebula Object Type: Reflection Nebula Magnitude: 7.1b Size: 15' x 12' Constellation: Cepheus Image Field Centered At: RA: 21h 01m 26s Dec: +68° 09' 42"