c0nc0rdance 4 days ago
This is NGC 2264, also called the "Christmas Tree Cluster." It's a cluster of young stars about 2,500 light years away.
They were 'born' during the Pliocene Epoch (2-5 MYA), about the same time as early hominids like Ardipithecus or Homo habilis, so they're barely older than humanity.
🎄💫🔭