The Cone Nebula is part of a star-forming region of space, NGC 2264, about 2500 light-years away. Its pillar-like appearance is a perfect example of the shapes that can develop in giant clouds of ...

A protostar, IRAS 20324+4057, is seen in this image, surrounded by a disk of gas and dust that will eventually form planets. The Cone Nebula, a star-forming region in the Monoceros constellation ...