IC 349

IC 349, also known as Barnard's Merope Nebula ( Barnard's Merope Nebula engl. ), is a reflection nebula in the Pleiades. It was discovered in 1890 by Edward Barnard. It receives its light from which only 0.06 light-years (30 ") distant star Merope.

IC 349 is not a remnant of the nebula from the Merope was but an interstellar cloud of dust, which passes through the star and is deformed by the radiation. The assumption was expressed that IC 349 is a fragment of the Taurus - Auriga molecular cloud.