Rho Ophiuchi star cloud

Description:

The Rho Ophiuchi star cloud is a giant molecular cloud in the Milky Way composed partly of ionized hydrogen and dark dust. It is named after the dominant star in the region in which it is located, ρ Ophiuchi, which is located three degrees north of Antares in the constellation Ophiuchus.

With an average distance of just 420 light-years, it is one of the closest star-forming regions to the Solar System.