Sh 2-174, also known as the Valentine Rose Nebula, is a faint emission and reflection nebula in the constellation Cepheus, about 3.5 degrees from the bright star Polaris. Spanning nearly 10 light-years across, it was once thought to be a planetary nebula, but research suggests it is a dense region of interstellar medium being illuminated by a hot white dwarf star. This interaction creates the glowing ionized gas and subtle shock fronts seen in its structure.

In this image, the nebula’s bright red hydrogen emission blends with faint blue hues of reflected starlight, set against a backdrop of interstellar dust and rich star fields. Captured with over 56 hours of integration, the delicate filaments and soft structures emerge from an otherwise dark region of space, revealing a complex interplay between stellar remnants and their surrounding environment.