The Iris Nebula (NGC 7023) is a reflection nebula located approximately 1,300 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cepheus. Unlike emission nebulae that glow through ionized hydrogen, the Iris Nebula owes its striking blue appearance to microscopic dust particles reflecting the light of the young star HD 200775. The surrounding dark dust clouds are part of a much larger molecular cloud complex, making this region an important laboratory for studying the early stages of star formation and stellar evolution.