NGC 7023 in Cepheus is a bright reflection nebula around 1,300 light-years away, named for its resemblance to the petals of an iris flower. Unlike emission nebulae, its glow is not its own — the delicate blue hues come from starlight scattered off surrounding dust grains, illuminated by the hot young Herbig Be star HD 200775 nestled at its heart. The nebula is an active star-forming region and is unusually rich in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) — complex carbon molecules whose infrared fingerprint is strong here — alongside a faint red glow known as extended red emission, produced as dust grains re-radiate the star’s intense ultraviolet light. The NGC 7023 designation technically refers to the small open cluster embedded in the cloud, while the nebula itself is catalogued as LBN 487.