IC5146 The Cocoon Nebula and it's Dusty Tail

The Cocoon Nebula is made up of the open cluster IC5146 The cluster is made up of mostly 12th magnitude stars and surrounded by nebulosity of mostly Hydrogen gas. Not photographed often, is the long dark nebule B168 that appears to trail this from nebula like a comet's tail. This long area of dust and dark matter obscures the star light emitting from stars further away .