The North America Nebula (NGC 7000) is part of a huge
cloud of ionized hydrogen in the constellation Cygnus.
Just off the "east coast", you can see a smaller portion
of this cloud, often called the "Pelican Nebula" (IC 5070),
though it has always looked more like a pterodactyl to me.
This image makes clear that the two objects are actually
parts of the same nebula, with their distinct shapes created
by clouds of non-glowing gas and dust running through the
middle of the region. These objects are about 1600 light years
from earth.

Image data:
Camera: SBIG STL-11000; Astrodon 5nm hydrogen-alpha filter
Exposure: 3 hours (18 minutes x 10)
Telescope: Takahashi FSQ 106N (borrowed for this image)