Monkey Head Nebula

The Monkey Head Nebula (also known as NGC 2174 and Sh2-252) is an H II emission nebula associated with the open star cluster NGC 2175. The nebula may have formed through hierarchical collapse.

The nebula is an active star forming region. These young, hot stars will eventually blow away the gas around them, destroying the nebula.

There is some equivocation in the use of the identifiers NGC 2174 and NGC 2175. These may apply to the entire nebula, to its brightest knot, or to the star cluster it includes.