Witch’s Head Nebula / IC 2118

The Witch’s Head Nebula, officially known as IC 2118, is a striking reflection nebula located about 900 light-years away in the constellation Eridanus. It gets its name from its eerie resemblance to the profile of a witch’s head, complete with a long nose and chin, especially when viewed in certain orientations. The Witch’s Head Nebula shines in an unusual blue hue, which is the result of starlight from the nearby, incredibly bright star Rigel in the constellation Orion. This blue light is reflected and scattered by the fine dust particles in the nebula, much like the scattering of blue light in Earth’s atmosphere. It spans approximately 50 light-years across,

The Witch’s Head Nebula is a prime example of a reflection nebula, meaning it doesn’t emit its own light but instead reflects the light from nearby stars. The intense ultraviolet radiation from Rigel ionizes and illuminates the dust, creating the iconic blue glow. It likely formed as a result of stellar winds and radiation from Rigel and other nearby massive stars shaping the surrounding interstellar dust.