IC 1287 is a dim blue reflection nebula located in the small constellation Scutum.  The nebula and constellation are both imbedded in the dense star fields of our Milky Way galaxy.  The nebula is surrounding the illuminating magnitude 5.7 star designated SAO 161569.  Light scattered from very small dust particles, about the size of cigarette smoke, is what illuminates the nebula.  The wavelength of blue light is much shorter than red or green light and is better matched in size to the dust particles in the nebula.  This blue light is scattered much more efficiently than the longer wavelengths.  This gives the nebula its blue color.  This is much the same principle that is responsible for the blue color of our earthly sky.

¹http://cs.astronomy.com/asy/m/nebulae/489953.aspx