The Tadpoles of IC 410

This telescopic image shows the faint emission nebula IC 410 in false-colors. It also includes two remarkable inhabitants of the cosmic pond of gas, the tadpoles of IC 410.  The narrow band image data traces atoms in the nebula, with emission from sulfur atoms in red, hydrogen atoms in green, and oxygen in blue. Partly obscured by dust, the nebula itself surrounds NGC 1893, a young galactic cluster of stars that energizes the glowing gas. Composed of denser cooler gas and dust the tadpoles are around 10 light-years long, potentially sites of ongoing star formation. Sculpted by wind and radiation from the cluster stars, their tails trail away from the cluster's central region. IC 410 lies some 12,000 light-years away, toward the constellation Auriga. These tadpoles could be creating a new planet that has the capacity to sustain life because of the rich and organic compounds that can be found in the clouds.