The Iris Nebula, also known as NGC7023 or Caldwell 4, is a reflection nebula in the constellation Cepheus.

More information about this object can be found on its Wikipedia page.

There was certainly a hint of desperation in shooting this target. It was my first outing with the scopes for almost a year due to a combination of abysmal weather conditions and the disruption of Covid. I was extremely fortunate that the pandemic did not have any adverse effect on my employment, although working exclusively from home and attempting to assist with home school efforts did mean that the few clear nights that came along were often coincident with feeling too tired to set up.

This session was therefore just an opportunity to point at anything that remained visible between clouds for long enough to check that I hadn't forgotten how to operate the equipment. The target really is a bit too small for the combination of gear used this time, but sometimes a view that puts the object in context in the wider sky can be rewarding too.

You can view this image in the WorldWideTelescope by clicking here.