Star-Studded Strings around Cocoon Nebula

Dense filaments of gas in the IC5146 interstellar cloud can be seen clearly in this image taken in infrared light by the Herschel space observatory. Stars are forming along these filaments. The blue region is a stellar nursery known as the Cocoon nebula.

This image was taken by ESA’s Herschel space observatory at infrared wavelengths of 70, 250 and 500 microns.

Image credits: ESA/Herschel/SPIRE/PACS/D. Arzoumanian (CEA Saclay)