The Pelican Nebula (cataloged as IC 5070 and IC 5067) is a large emission nebula situated approximately 1,800 to 2,000 light-years away in the constellation Cygnus. Spanning roughly 30 light-years across, it is a dynamic star-forming region whose glowing, ionized gas clouds trace an outline resembling a pelican's head and bill. This visible glow is caused by strong ultraviolet radiation from nearby massive stars—most notably Deneb and the energetic stars in the neighboring North America Nebula (NGC 7000), from which the Pelican is separated by a dark, dense lane of interstellar dust known as LDN 935.
The Pelican Nebula (cataloged as IC 5070 and IC 5067) is a large emission nebula situated approximately 1,800 to 2,000 light-years away in the constellation Cygnus. Spanning roughly 30 light-years across, it is a dynamic star-forming region whose glowing, ionized gas clouds trace an outline resembling a pelican's head and bill. This visible glow is caused by strong ultraviolet radiation from nearby massive stars—most notably Deneb and the energetic stars in the neighboring North America Nebula (NGC 7000), from which the Pelican is separated by a dark, dense lane of interstellar dust known as LDN 935.