... Credit: David Malin , UK Schmidt Telescope , AAO Explanation: The flowing trails of dust toward Corona Australis , the constellation of the Southern Crown , are visible here because not because they glow, but because they absorb and reflect . ... These knots indicate molecular clouds filled with cool gas where future stars will likely form. The above image spans about 5 degrees while the reflection nebula lies about 500 light-years distant. ... vdB 152: Reflection Nebula in Cepheus . ...