The Azure Nebula is a type 11 nebula found on the border between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. It was entered in 2293 by the USS Excelsior during Captain Sulu's ill-fated rescue of James T. Kirk. There he encountered a Klingon battle cruiser commanded by Captain Kang, who attempted to escort Sulu out of the nebula, but was unfortunately disabled when the Excelsior ignited the nebula's sirillium gas.
The Azure Nebula has a superficial similarity to the type 17 nebula encountered in the Delta Quadrant by the USS Voyager that triggered a memory virus to surface within Lieutenant Tuvok. (VOY: "Flashback")