APOD 2.1

This is an image of the constellation Cepheus. The weird shapes surrounding the stars are cosmic dust clouds faintly visible in dimly reflected starlight.  These cosmic dust clouds are 1,200 light years away from our location on Earth. The core of the dark cloud on the right is collapsing and is likely a binary star system in the early stages of formation. These spooky shapes almost look like ghosts.