The Heart and Soul Nebular Complex
IC 1805 and IC 1848 and surrounds in Cassiopeia
Located about 6,000 light-years from Earth, the Heart and Soul nebulae form a vast star-forming complex of mostly Hydrogen-alpha gas, glowing at 656.3 nanometers. The larger nebula to the upper-right is the Heart, designated IC 1805 and named for its obvious resemblance to the human heart. At lower-left is the Soul nebula, also known as the Embryo, IC 1848. The nebulae are both massive star-making factories, marked by giant bubbles, blown into surrounding dust by radiation and winds from the stars. These stars are less than a few millions of years old, as compared to our Sun, which is nearly 5,000,000,000 years old. Many thanks to my friend Dr. Ron Brecher of the Dog House Observatory for acquiring this fine data!
LARGE
Located about 6,000 light-years from Earth, the Heart and Soul nebulae form a vast star-forming complex of mostly Hydrogen-alpha gas, glowing at 656.3 nanometers. The larger nebula to the upper-right is the Heart, designated IC 1805 and named for its obvious resemblance to the human heart. At lower-left is the Soul nebula, also known as the Embryo, IC 1848. The nebulae are both massive star-making factories, marked by giant bubbles, blown into surrounding dust by radiation and winds from the stars. These stars are less than a few millions of years old, as compared to our Sun, which is nearly 5,000,000,000 years old. Many thanks to my friend Dr. Ron Brecher of the Dog House Observatory for acquiring this fine data!
LARGE