NGC 1499, known as the California Nebula./Courtesy of Toni Fabiani Mendez

NGC 1499, known as the "California Nebula" due to its resemblance to the shape of California, is a luminous nebula emitting light in various wavelengths. It stretches about 100 light-years (1 light-year is the distance light travels in a year, approximately 9.46 trillion kilometers). The prominent red hue in the photograph is the characteristic emission of hydrogen atoms caused by electrons being knocked off and then recombining due to high-energy starlight. The intense starlight that ionizes most of the nebula is believed to come from a bright, hot blue star located on the right side of the nebula.