Sharpless 140 is a star-forming emission nebula in Cepheus, about 2900 light years from Earth.

VdB 153 is the small blue reflection nebula in the upper-left corner.

LDN 1200 is the dark nebula at center top.

North is to the right.

Sh 2-140 is part of the Cepheus Bubble, the expanding shell of gas and dust surrounding the Cep OB2 association. The bright rim is created by the B0.5 V double star HD 211880 ionising a Bok globule located within the southwest side of the LDN 1204 molecular cloud. HD 211880 is the brightest star in the 'V' of stars in the middle of the nebula.