NGC 2261 Hubbles Variable Nebula is a variable nebula 2500 light years from here in Monoceros. The nebula is a faint reflection nebula. The theory for the variability of the nebula is that dense knots of opaque dust pass close to the star R Mon which lights the nebula. The opaque dust casts moving shadows onto the reflecting dust of the nebula.
Imaged in LRGB on our Planewave CDK 700 at Observatorio El Sauce, Chile. Image Processing: Mike Selby and Mark Hanson