Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Cassiopeia (Cas)  ·  Contains:  NGC 281
NGC 281 - Pacman Nebula, Gary Gause
NGC 281 - Pacman Nebula
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NGC 281 - Pacman Nebula

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Description

ngc281, the pacman nebula, a previously undiscovered gem in cassiopeia. 7 hours total exposure, 21x1200s, my longest exposure image to date. taken in the early morning hours of 9/11/2015.

so many wonderful things in this picture. a giant cloud of hydrogen gas (glowing red) collapsed to form several stars including a newly born cluster of stars shown in the middle.

that cluster has lit up the area revealing not just the red hydrogen cloud, but the dark dust clouds that are raw material for planets. even more rare are the bok globules, the dark splotches of dust that appear to have been dripped onto the canvas.

along the edges of the nebula, you can see red knots of material, cocoons from which new stars are already being born.

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NGC 281 - Pacman Nebula, Gary Gause