The Seagull Nebula is a large region of nebulosity in the constellation of Monoceros. It is located 3,650 light years away from Earth, which means that the light in this image left the object at around the time when the ancient Egyptian Civilization was at its peak. Like other emission nebulae, it is a region of active star formation, and its nebulosity comes from the interstellar gas clouds being energised and ionised by hot, young stars.