Heart and Soul Nebulae

Located approximately 6000 light years away from Earth, these two nebulae form a vast star-forming complex, spanning around 300 light years in diameter. As part of the Perseus arm of the Milky Way galaxy, they are rich in interstellar gas and dust, providing a fertile ground for star formation.

The image is a HOO composition, mapping emissions of hydrogen alpha gas to the red channel, while oxygen III emissions are mapped to the green and blue channels. This results in a colorful representation of the nebulae’s different emissions.

At the center of the Heart Nebula (IC 1805), an open cluster of young stars, known as Melotte 15, is located. These stars, some of them up to 50 times more massive than our sun, are ionizing the surrounding gas, causing it to glow.

The nebulae’s proximity to Earth and their richness in star-forming material make them an exciting target for astronomers studying the processes of star birth and evolution.

Exposure: 6hrs 20min

Setup

Scope: Askar 103APO
Lens: Askar 0.6x Reducer
Camera: Canon EOS 6Da
Filter: Altair Tri-Band
Mount: Skywatcher AZ-EQ5 GT
Guiding: Svbony SV165 Guide Scope with ZWO ASI 224MC
Controller: ZWO ASIAir Pro

Objects

IC 1795
IC 1805
IC 1824
IC 1848
NGC 896
NGC 1027
Melotte 15