This is a good example of one of the many star forming regions in our Milky Way. Huge clouds of gas are condensing into stars, forming clusters like NGC2244 right in the center. Its young and hot stars have already cleared the inner section, and their strong radiation exites the surrounding hydrogen and oxygen gas. The Rosette nebula is approx. 5500 light years away. If this object would be visible to the naked eye it would have the size of the full moon.