THE COSMIC SQUID INSIDE THE GIANT BAT

 In 2011, French astrophotographer Nicolas Outters discovered a dim and challenging to observe emission nebula located 2300 light-years away from Earth in the constellation Cepheus, which was named Ou4. This nebula is also known as the Cosmic Squid Nebula due to its bilobed shape and bluish color, which is caused by the emission of doubly ionized oxygen atoms. It is on the same line of sight as the Flying Bat Nebula, which appears red because of hydrogen atoms emission. Recent studies have suggested that the Squid Nebula is actually within the Flying Bat Nebula. 

There is a hypothesis that the Squid Nebula was created by material ejected from a triple star system, with the brightest star being visible at the center of the nebula. 

Credit: Yannick Akar.