This striking view flows through the heart of the constellation Cygnus, centered near the bright star Gamma Cygni, also known as Sadr. Dark dust lanes carve a "black river" through glowing hydrogen clouds, creating a dramatic contrast against the starry background. The central blue patch highlights emission from doubly ionized oxygen, while the deep red glow is dominated by hydrogen-alpha light.

Visible in this field are several cataloged objects, including the open cluster NGC 6910 near the top and the faint emission nebula Sharpless 2-108. Together, they form part of the rich star-forming complex that fills the Northern Cross region of the Milky Way, a favorite target for astrophotographers exploring the cosmic river of Cygnus.