Christmas Tree Cluster (NGC 2264)

Under the designation NGC 2264 the New General Catalogue identifies some astronomical objects as a single object: the Cone Nebula, the Christmas Tree Cluster, but also the Snowflake Cluster and the Fox Fur Nebula. All of these objects are located in the Monoceros constellation and are located about 720 parsecs or 2,300 light-years from Earth. On the shown picture you find only a detail of this fascinating region.

Photographer: Gerhard Zahler-Treiber