The Cave nebula is a part of a large complex of bright and dark nebulae in the constellation Cepheus. When viewed through a telescope, the arch of bright emission nebula to the upper-left of the center looks like the entrance to a dark cave. (See detail below.) The Cave nebula is cataloged as Sh2-155 and Caldwell 9. The prominent dark nebula on the right is LDN 1216 and the brightest blue reflection nebula below it is VDB 155.

128 minutes L and 120 minutes RGB on 2014-11-12, plus 224 minutes on 2012-11-28 using an Astrodon 3 nm H-a filter, all using a QSI 583 from northern New Jersey through an Astro-Physics 155mm refractor at f5.4. North is up. ©2014

The "cave". A detail from the above image.

The Cave Nebula region in narrowband hydrogen-alpha light.

224 minutes on 2012-11-28 using an Astrodon 3 nm H-a filter using a QSI 583 from northern New Jersey through an Astro-Physics 155mm refractor at f5.4. North is up. ©2012 (This image was taken with a full moon in the sky!)