NGC 7023 - The Iris Nebula

NGC 7023, also known as Caldwell 4 or the Iris nebula is a bright reflection nebula in constellation Cepheus surrounding the open cluster of stars. The bright blue colour is created by the light from the massive central star scattering off the dust particles of the nebula.

Being a reflection nebula, this picture would be much harder to capture from my light-polluted backyard, as I can't use narrowband filters. This one was taken under a darker skies of RASC Toronto CAO observatory.