NGC7538/Sh 2-158

NGC7538 is an emission/reflection nebula located about 9100 light years away in the constellation Cepheus.  It is home to the largest protostar yet discovered.  This protostar is about 300 times the size of our solar system.

NGC7538 (aka Sh2-158 and LBN542) is part of the nebulosity in the area of the more famous Bubble nebula (NGC7635).  Adam Block's wide field image of this area shows NGC7538 (in the lower right of the image) and how it relates to the Bubble as well as the Hydrogen gas in this area.  I believe the predominance of dim red stars in the background is due to the reddening of this gas.

Note, more Ha data might help bring out the clouds of gas better.  I did stretch the data pretty strongly to bring out what I did (and a bit of noise does show after doing that).